The Sensei
by The Mistress of Ninjago22
Summary: (A Ninjago story version of the famous novel, The Giver.) Kai is an ordinary Fifteen. He is compassionate and "enjoys" his family. Then when he becomes a Sixteen, he is chosen to become the Receiver of Memories. Throughout his time with The Sensei, he learns many things that once existed, and still exist, in the land of Ninjago, a place filled with freedom and light.
1. Introduction

THE SENSEI

PROLOGUE

A UTOPIAN WORLD

**HEY, GUYS! THIS IS nglia21 HERE WITH ANOTHER AWESOME NINJAGO STORY FOR YOU ALL!**

**FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FANS OF THE FAMOUS NOVEL, THE GIVER, I BRING YOU A STORY THAT IS BASED THE SAME WAY EXCEPT IN MY OWN VERSION.**

**SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, PLEASE ENJOY THE STORY.**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN NINJAGO OR ANY OF ITS ORIGINAL CHARACTERS.**

* * *

_Ninjago._

_A utopian society filled with citizens who share no emotions or feelings. A place where nobody feels pain. A land that only has one type of race: Sameness._

_Although it didn't used to be that way. It was once a world filled with beauty. There were colors. There was laughter. There were tears of joy and sadness. There was pain. There were heroes and villians, books and television, theatres and restaurants. There was happiness. True happiness._

_But, most of all, there was light._

_I should know. I used to live in the utopian society, but I risked my life to escape and find the world I belong in. The real Ninjago. _

_I can be myself in Ninjago. I can have emotions. I can bleed. I can cry. I can smile without force. I can fight in wars. I can lose my temper and be the hot-headed individual I am. I can read books. I can write fantasies and fiction. I can start a family and have as many children as I want. I can marry the woman I choose to be with. I can do anything I put my mind to. I can be...me._

_These would be illegal in Utopian Ninjago. But I've done them. And I'm not afraid to continue doing them. Even though I'm an old man now and can't do all the things I used to do, I have the freedom to write the tale I lived._

_So if you've ever lived in such a world where everyone is the same, and if you've ever escaped and came here to Ninjago like I did, then keep reading. _

_Because you will laugh and you will cry. But it's okay. You are welcomed to do so._

_This journey may be one that you'll never hear about again._

_My name is Kai. Kai Smith._

_And this is my story._

* * *

**SHORT PROLOGUE, I KNOW, BUT I PROMISE THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE BETTER. AND YOU CAN ALL TELL WHO THE MAIN CHARACTER IS.**

**WELL, HOPE THE BEGINNING WAS EXCELLENT.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	2. Kai's Feelings

CHAPTER 1

KAI'S FEELINGS

There was only one word to describe how Kai was feeling.

Frightened.

An important milestone is coming soon when December arrives. He was only a Fifteen, trying his best to find the right career he believes is best for him. When he becomes a Sixteen, his career shall be chosen for him. Everything was when December rolled around.

Kai rejects the word "frightened" for a different reason. The word reminded him of a time when he was scared. One year ago, an unidentified aircraft flew over his Community—it was a strange and unprecedented event, since Pilots were not allowed to fly over the Community, unless cargo planes were stopping by to deliver food and supplies.

It was a law in the utopian society. In a place where emotions, war and disasters were prohibited. Kai could remember that horrifying time during the Community's reaction to the event. He could remember the loudspeakers that announced official orders all over the extremely structured civilization, reassuring the citizens that the situation would be handled.

Kai still did not understand why such an event happened. But it was better that nobody knew what happened.

But it was a day Kai never forgot.

The loudspeakers made the announcement for all citizens to go indoors and remain inside until they were given information about the situation. Kai recalled his sister Nya, a Twelve at the time, training to fit a position at the Birth Center. He had the thoughts that she was probably there. His parents were both at their careers. He ended up returning inside his household.

Where he was alone.

The streets were empty and quiet. Nobody was out and about. Not even the Street Cleaners or Landscape Workers. When the loudspeakers make an announcement, everyone was required to stop and listen. The Community was under strict controls by the Elders.

It wasn't too long before the loudspeakers came back on announcing that the jet flying through the air without permission was only a mistake. The pilot had been flying over the Community by accident, and because he had made a mistake, he would get Released. Mistakes were a big no-no.

Getting Released was the biggest punishment of all for regular citizens. If a person was a Senior, getting Released was an enjoyment. It means they had come of age and are now ready to leave the Community.

Kai shook the thoughts out of his head. The whole jet problem happened a year ago.

Kai had to be careful about his language. Instead of feeling frightened, he was feeling "apprehensive." Yeah, that's the word.

Apprehensive.

Kai is apprehensive about the upcoming Ceremony in December. It was only one month away. He would become a Sixteen. He would receive his career.

Which worried Kai to the point of Released. No, worried was not the right word. Instead of worried, he was anxious. Yes, that's it.

Anxious.

In the Community, one had to use precise and accurate language. It was required.

Everything and everyone was required to be the same. You were required to never make mistakes or be... different.

And one requirement in the Community was the use of words. The Elders take language seriously. Everyone had to take it seriously.

Except for Kai's friend, Jay. He was always made fun of for talking too fast and too much. Sometimes he would get his words mixed up, such as saying "happy" instead of "content." As a punishment, he would have to apologize in front of everyone for mixing up his language and everyone would chant together, "We accept your apology."

That was how it was. And that is why Kai has to be careful about his language. The only reason he was feeling apprehensive was because he was not sure he was suited for any career in the Community and when one was chosen for him during the Ceremony, he was anxious that the career would not suit him.

And he was required to talk about his feelings at dinner that evening. It was a ritual, known as "the telling of feelings", where the entire family had to sit and talk about the feelings they have witnessed throughout the day.

As always, Kai's sister Nya, a Thirteen and soon to be Fourteen, went first.

"I encountered a new girl at the Birth Center today," Nya explained, "She was from a different Community and had to train with us. I am irate that she was not able to follow the rules and procedures of our Birth Center. I do not understand why ours would be different from hers."

"There is no reason to feel irate about such a minor issue, Nya," said her Mother, "She probably did not follow the procedures because she did not know about them. She was probably bewildered and felt out of place."

"It does take some time to get used to new surroundings," said her Father, "After she spends more time at our Birth Center, she will understand the procedures thoroughly."

"I understand," Nya nods.

"How was your day, Spouse?" Mother asked.

"I am feeling distraught," Father explained, "One of the Newchildren at the Nurturing Center is going through health weaknesses. The baby is failing and will be Released tomorrow morning. I am troubled that there was nothing more we could do."

"I apologize that there was nothing more you and the other Nurturers could do," Mother said sympathetically, "What matters is that you did all you could do. That is all anyone can ask for."

Father nodded. "I understand. How was your day, Spouse?"

"I am feeling irritated. I had to deal with a repeated offender. He has broken a second rule in the Community. One more broken rule and he will have no choice but to be Released."

"There is no reason to feel irritated. I know that people do not mean to make mistakes or cause problems, but everyone is required to act the same. If he continues to act different, then maybe Release is a better solution."

Mother nods. "I understand."

Kai wanted to sigh or shake his head, but he couldn't make a sound. He was so tired of hearing about Releases. No, not tired. A better word is jaded.

Not only was he jaded with Releases. He was inquisitive. He only knew of three ways a person could get Released. The first is for punishment. The second is for the very old. The third is for Newborns who, for one reason or another, can't stay to be raised in the Community.

It made Kai wonder what Release is and what happens. Some say it is paradise for the Newchildren and the old. Some say it is exile for the citizens who are punished. Some say it is both. They were only rumors. Nobody knew whether they were true or not.

Kai was cut out of his thoughts by his father's voice. "Kai, how was your day?"

Kai looked up at his family and spoke. "I feel...frightened." Great job on the language.

"Kai, language," Mother reminded her son.

"My apologies. I mean to say that I feel apprehensive. About the Ceremony of Sixteen in December. I am not sure why. I just do not understand. It may have something to do with the career that will be chosen for me."

"Perhaps," Father said, "But there is no reason to feel apprehensive, Kai. The Elders will choose a career they feel will be right for you."

"I understand," Kai said.

"I cannot wait until I become a Sixteen," Nya said, "I am really enjoying my training at the Birth Center. I can only hope the Elders will choose me as a Birthmother."

"Are you sure you want to become a Birthmother, Nya?" Mother asked.

"Yes, Mother. Is there an issue?"

"It concerns me as to why you would want a career as a Birthmother. You do realize that if you are chosen to become a Birthmother, you are only allowed three births and that is all. You will not be allowed to have a Spouse and you will be required to do working labor until you become old. Are you sure becoming a Birthmother is worth it?"

Nya looked down at the table for a moment. Then she looked up at her mother. "I will think about your explanation, Mother."

Mother nods. "Okay." Then she stands up beside her chair.

Kai knew what that meant. When anyone stood beside their chair during the feelings ritual, it meant that they were sharing some news.

"What news do you have for us, Spouse?" Father asked.

"I have news of content," Mother replied, "We have been assigned an Orphan to stay here with us for one year. The Orphan will be a Fifteen in December, but due to the Release of his parents and sister, he will not be allowed to attend the Ceremony. He will be given the opportunity to train for any career, but the Department of Justice is concerned. He has trained at fifteen different Community locations, but the Elders are not sure which one suits him. They say the career that is right for him no longer exists. If he does not find a career when he becomes a Sixteen, we will have no choice but to Release him."

"What is his name?" Nya asked.

"His name is Lloyd. Now when Lloyd arrives, we must treat him with Sameness as we always do."

Nya smiles. "We can treat him as another member of the family."

"I am sure the Elders will not mind, but please remember that we cannot adopt him now that he is over a Thirteen. If a career does suit Lloyd, he will live at the Community Center until he is assigned a home and a Spouse."

Kai knew the requirements about Orphans. If the child or children's parents are Released, they become Orphans and live at the Community Center. If the child is under a Thirteen, they will be assigned to live with parents that have two children.

Every family consist of two children, a boy and a girl. The only exception is for Orphan children. If the Orphan is assigned to live with a family of four, they will be known as the Third Child. In certain cases, an Orphan will be lucky to become the child of parents who have one or no kids. It's rare to ever find a Third Child in any Community.

Kai`s inquisitive mind got the better of him as he asked, "Why did his family get Released?"

"Unfortunately, the information is unknown," Mother said, "But you are welcomed to ask Lloyd. He may know if the Department of Justice explained everything to him."

Kai nods. "Yes, Mother."

Father clears his throat. "Nya, would you mind going to your room for a few minutes? Your mother and I would like to talk to your brother alone."

"Yes, Father." Nya stood up, left the table and headed down the hall.

Kai sat there wondering if he did anything wrong other than use the wrong vocabulary word. It wasn't his fault. It was nothing more than an accident.

He wished he could read his father's expression as they stared at one another.

Oh, what could he have done wrong?

* * *

**OKAY, CHAPTER 1 IS FINALLY COMPLETED.**

**SO BASICALLY TO SUM THIS CHAPTER UP, KAI IS AFRAID OF THE UPCOMING CEREMONY OF DECEMBER. MAINLY HE'S AFRAID OF WHAT CAREER HE'LL END UP WITH AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HE'S RIGHT FOR. **

**AND BTW, RAY AND MAYA ARE NOT KAI AND NYA'S PARENTS. THESE PARENTS ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE. THEIR NAMES ARE UNKNOWN. IT'LL ALL MAKE SENSE, I PROMISE.**

**HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GREAT.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**

**NOTE: THIS STORY WILL INCLUDE INCREASING VOCABULARY. LOOK UP ANY WORDS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND TO KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN. **


	3. Remembrance

CHAPTER 2

REMEMBRANCE

Kai prepares himself for the speech his father plans to give him. He looks his father in the eyes. Eyes that were nothing like his. His father's eyes were a shade of blue. His mother's were brown. He and Nya, however, both had the same orange colored eyes.

Kai figured he was expecting the worst if Nya was sent out of the room. He wondered if his parents were notified about a little incident that happened during recess at school.

He and his friend Jay had went outside playing catch with an apple Kai snuck out during the midday meal. While doing so, Kai had noticed something...odd. The apple started looking strange. Kai had noticed that the apple changed colors. He didn't know it then, but that apple turned red in his vision. He wasn't sure why. It just happened.

The Community only had three shades of color: black, white and gray. Only certain sights were supposed to have color, such as eyes and bright yellow lights. It bewildered Kai when he noticed the apple turning red and he had no idea why it would do such a thing.

After recess was complete, Kai and Jay were called out by the school leader, explaining to them that food from the midday meal was to never leave the premises of the school building. He gave them a chance to tell why they disobeyed the rule. Kai told the school leader that he removed the apple from the building and decided to toss it back and forth to Jay. Jay agreed to toss the apple with Kai and also took responsibility of the problem.

In the end, they both had to apologize for taking food outside the school premises and received an acceptance of the apology from the students.

Kai wondered if his father would be speaking to him about the same thing until he saw a smile appear on the grown man's lips. "I know exactly how you feel, Kai. I remember when I was your age. I was feeling apprehensive about the Ceremony of Sixteen myself."

Mother nodded in agreement. "I was the same way."

"I also anxious about the career that would be chosen for me by the Elders," Father explained, "The Ceremony of Sixteen is the most important ceremony in December. It is the age where you will receive your profession and begin your life as an adult in the Community. And all the training you have been doing throughout the past few years will aid the Elders into choosing the correct profession. I always knew that I was superb with working with Newchildren and it expressed the Elders to select me as a Nurturer."

"It took me through a few Community facilities to find the right career for me," Mother said, "When I became a Thirteen, I went through multiple places such as the Retirement Center, the Child Care Center and the Food Organization. But when I stumbled upon the Department of Justice, I learned many things and realized that it was the career that should be chosen for me. I continued training there in order for the Elders to monitor me and watch as I trained. When the Ceremony of Sixteen arrived, they chose me to work at the Department for Justice. I have astounding expertise with keeping the Community in order."

"What age were you and Father when you were chosen to be each other's Spouse?" Kai asked.

"I do not remember. After the Ceremony of Sixteen, you will lose track of your age. The Elders do not. They keep records. You will learn that after four years of your career, you will be assigned a Spouse. Please remember that you and your Spouse cannot sleep in the same bed and you cannot have any physical contact except for hugs and holding hands. But that must remain inside your home."

"Also you will not be able to apply for a Newchild until after you and your Spouse have been together for two years," Father stated, "During the third year, if your application is approved, the two of you will receive one of the fifty Newchildren born that year."

"Will the Newchild in every family start with a boy?" Kai asked. He was only concerned since his friend Skylor was older than her younger brother and he usually sees a boy as the oldest in the Community.

"Not always," Mother replied, "Some families do start with a girl, but most prefer a boy to be the eldest sibling. It only means the family requires to be normal, but some families are different in an acceptable way."

"I must ask, Kai," Father said, "You have never felt apprehensive about previous Ceremonies before. Why feel apprehensive about this one?"

Kai wasn't sure how to answer that question. It was true that he's never felt apprehensive about other Ceremonies in the past. He can remember some Ceremonies being effervescent.

He can remember when his parents first received Nya. His parents application for a girl was approved and Nya became a part of the family. Kai was a Three that December. He also remembered receiving his comfort object as a Two and remembered receiving his bicycle during the Ceremony of Nine, filling him with enthusiasm.

The last Ceremony he participated in was the Ceremony of Twelve and Fourteen. As a Twelve, he received his first set of Reading Materials and a Computer. Those were only to be used for studying and researching. The Department of Technology would always keep a close eye out on suspicious activity. No one dared to break the rules unless they wanted to risk getting their computer taken away and becoming Released on top of that.

When he became a Fourteen, everyone was given a jacket with a zipper on the front. Kai still wears the jacket to this day.

Kai looked up at his father and said, "I suppose I was just anxious." Superior vocabulary.

"Are there any other feelings you wish to share with us, Kai?" Mother asked.

"I fret for my friend Jay. He does not seem to be interested in any profession and it makes me wonder if he will be assigned to work as a Night Shift. I do not think he will receive a satisfactory assignment unless he is serious about searching for an interest."

"There is no reason to fret, Kai," Father said, "I am sure there is something out there that will suit Jay's interest. It may not involve absurdity, but it may be the career he has been hoping the Elders would assign him."

"I understand," Kai said.

"I would like to warn you, Kai," Mother said, "Once you are given your Assignment, you will not see your friends much anymore. You will be so concerned about your Assignment that your friends will only be a thing of the past."

"Yes, Mother," Kai nodded. He knew one day the time to separate from his friends would come. He just didn't think it would approach so soon.

Nya returned and walked up to Mother. "Pardon me, Mother. May I have my fingernail paint, please?"

Mother presses a button from under the table. It activated the Ceremony Gift storage safe and opened the door. She walked over and handed Nya the fingernail paint, which was blue. "Now remember, Nya. When you become a Fourteen, your fingernails will be painted with permanent polish. The polish will be required to be the same color as your eyes. You will no longer be able to choose any color you want."

Nya nodded. "I understand, Mother. Thank you." She accepted the color and left for her bedroom.

Kai was excused to go to his bedroom a moment later. He felt a little bit better about becoming a Sixteen, but he was still apprehensive about what career would be chosen for him. He has tried a good many places in the Community, but he felt as though none of those careers suited him. He felt like he knew how to do everything. And how could one know how to do so much?

He needed to keep his mind away from the career choices. He figured that maybe thinking about the past would help him think less of the future. Yeah, maybe that might work.

Kai only had a couple of hours before it was time for bed. He decided to take the time and look up all the Ceremonies he's witnessed over the years so he'll never forget them.

He went to the search bar and looked up a list of Ceremony rituals. Only one search tool came up so he clicked on it. He looked through it and used his photographic memory, something he never knew he had, to remember the wording just right.

**·Ceremony of One:**

**-A Newchild has received their named and is assigned to a family to be a part of the Community.**

**·Ceremony of Two:**

**-The child will receive**** their comfort sleeping object and will be introduced to the discipline wand.**

Kai remembered when he received his comfort object, which was also known as an imaginary animal. His had been called a "tiger." Nya had one that was called a "blue whale."

He also remembered the discipline wand. It was only ever used on him once when he was a Three. He and Jay were playing a game of Release during playtime. The head of the Childcare Center caught them and punished them with the discipline wand. They never played the game again, but Jay continued to disobey the rules from time to time and was always getting punished with the discipline wand.

**·Ceremony of Three:**

**-Children will begin the Morning ritual of telling dreams, the evening ritual of telling feelings, and females will receive their hair ribbons.**

Kai remembered his first dream that he had. He had a dream about him and his comfort object playing together at the Childcare Center. It may have been a strange dream, but a dream none the less. He only had the dream because comfort objects were prohibited from the Childcare Center.

He also remembered Nya receiving her hair ribbons. Her ribbons never showed color, but she imagined them to be blue.

**·Ceremony of Four:**

**-Children are given a jacket with buttons on the back, and girls will have braided hair.**

Kai remembered the jackets. He was relieved when he finally no longer had to wear them.

He could remember Nya's hair in a fashioned braid. She didn't like it and preferred it down, but she feared to be different and let it remain braided.

**·Ceremony of Five:**

**-Children receive three playing objects of their choosing.**

Kai remembered his three playing objects. One had been called a "race car," the second was an "action figure" and the third, his most favorite, was a "toy dragon." He would play with them for what seemed like hours. They were most enjoyable.

The three Nya had were a "doll," a "toy ship" and "blocks." There were times when the two of them would play together. Memories of those he just couldn't forget.

**·****Ceremony of Six:**

**-Girls will wear their first dress.**

Kai remembered the dress Nya used to wear. She hated it as much as the braided hair, but to prove her Sameness, she had to wear it.

**·****Ceremony of Seven:**

**-Children will receive**** jackets with the buttons on the front.**

Kai hated those jackets, too. They felt too big and made him look foolish. He was glad to be rid of those when he became an Eleven.

**·Ceremony of Eight:**

**-Children will be removed from**** the comfort and playing objects. Girls will be rid of the hair ribbons and be given shortened hair. All children will begin their first community service.**

Kai remembered how sorrowful he was to give up the comfort animal and playing objects, but he also understood that he was required to focus more on serving the Community.

He remembered how content Nya was to finally be rid of the braid and to fashion her hair the way she adorned it. She was furious to let go of the hair ribbons.

**·****Ceremony of Nine:**

**-Children receive their bicycle.**

Kai will never forget the day he got his bicycle. He already knew how to ride it since his father gave him secret lessons when he was an Eight. Kai even gave Nya lessons so they could ride together.

It was actually against the rules to teach children an Eight and younger how to ride the bicycles, but some were lucky to never get caught.

**·Ceremony of Ten:**

-**Boys hair will be snipped to a distinguished cut.**

Kai remembered the haircut, but for some reason, his hair always grew back fast and even spiked naturally. Some called Kai an Odd Citizen, but it was of no disrespect. It just meant that he _looked_ different. It was his actions that counted, not his looks.

**·Ceremony of Eleven:**

**-****Females will receive different undergarments for their changing bodies.**

Kai sure didn't want to know anything about that. That was Nya's personal business.

**·****Ceremony of Twelve:**

**-Children will receive ten Reading Material pieces and their Computer. **

Everyone was required to read the same Reading Materials. Mainly the Reading Materials were only factual explanations about career choices and what each were about. Kai has already finished reading all of them and knew everything about each profession in the Community.

**·****Ceremony of Thirteen:**

**-Females will receive fingernail paint of all ten colors.**

**·Ceremony of Fourteen:**

**-Children will receive a jacket with a zipper on the front.**

**·Ceremony of Fifteen:**

**-Female will switch from wearing dresses to dress pants and blouses.**

And everyone knew about the Ceremony of Sixteen. The Ceremony where a child becomes an adult and is given a part in the Community.

The screen on Kai's Computer shut off automatically. This was a sign that it was time for bed. The lights would shut off in thirty minutes.

Kai slipped into his night clothes and snuggled up into bed. He wondered what kinds of dreams would invade his mind tonight.

He hoped it wasn't apprehension.

That word just wouldn't exit his mind.

The fear of the Ceremony of Sixteen would strike him hard.

Very hard.

* * *

**WELL, HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER FOR YOU GUYS.**

**I KNOW. THE FIRST COUPLE OF CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH NOTHING BUT BOREDOM, BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE GIVER, YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS STORY WILL GET EXCITING.**

**ALSO, I CHANGED A FEW OF THE CEREMONY RITUALS. I DON'T WANT THIS TO SOUND EXACTLY LIKE THE BOOK. AND I THOUGHT I COULD MAKE IT MORE FUN TO ADD SOME STUFF THE GIVER NEVER HAD, SUCH AS THE FINGERNAIL PAINT AND THE PLAYFUL OBJECTS.**

**LET'S EXPRESS SOME SYMPATHY FOR KAI AND LET HIM KNOW THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.**

**HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	4. Community Service

CHAPTER 3

COMMUNITY SERVICE

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER WILL BE RATED T FOR MENTIONS OF NAKEDNESS. JUST GIVING YOU A HEADS UP. **

**NOW ON WITH THE CHAPTER.**

* * *

Two days have passed since the announcement of Lloyd's arrival. That evening before dinner, Mother returned from work with the Orphan.

The entire family welcomed Lloyd to which the Fourteen-going-on-Fifteen did his best to smile, but it was hard. Kai looked the young boy in the eyes and noticed a color he's never seen before.

Green.

Kai has seen people with blue, brown, black, orange, red and even yellow eyes, but green was a color he's never seen before.

Nya noticed as well and was afraid to share her thoughts. "You have such peculiar eyes. I mean that in an acceptable way."

Lloyd smiled just a bit, but continued to keep his depressed recognition plastered on his face. "Thank you." He looked at both Nya and Kai. "You two must be Kai and Nya. The Department of Justice had me study information about the two of you. They wanted me to get to know you before meeting you."

"We are very content that you will be staying with us," Kai said.

Lloyd studied the two siblings, especially with their eye colors. "I have noticed that you two share the same eye color. It would make me believe that the two of you are true siblings."

"We get that a lot," Nya said.

"Where will I be staying?" Lloyd asked.

"You will be living in Kai's bedroom, Lloyd," Mother said, "There is a bed and dresser waiting for you." She looks at her son. "Kai, will you help Lloyd get accustomed to our home before dinner?"

"Yes, Mother," Kai nodded.

The two headed off to Kai's room. On the right side sat a second bed and a dresser. Lloyd began unpacking the one bag he brought with him. Kai could still see the saddened state on the Orphan's face.

_Maybe he would feel better talking about it,_ Kai thought. It never hurts to ask.

"Lloyd, would you mind telling me how your parents and sister were Released?" Kai asked.

Lloyd gave him a strange look. "You mean you do not remember? They announced it over the loudspeakers. Everyone knows. Nothing is kept a secret in the Community."

That much was true. The citizens were always being controlled by the loudspeakers, given no choice but to listen to the announcements and chastisements. Kai remembered when the loudspeakers announced him and Jay for the incident with the apple. He never forgot about that.

Most of the time, after the announcement is made, Kai puts the thoughts away on it and moves on. So he probably doesn't remember hearing about Lloyd's family getting Released.

But Kai didn't want to be truthful and make Lloyd think he was a forgetful individual, so he decided to fabricate. "Yes, but I would like to hear it from you."

Kai despised lying. He remembered the day after the incident with the apple, he and Jay had to report to the the Recreation Director. Confused and unable to find the precise words to describe what happened to him, Kai never told anyone why he took the apple. He was only playing catch with Jay and decided to use the apple as a ball, when suddenly he saw the apple change colors. Knowing that this strange occurrence was different, Kai didn't tell anyone about it. He decided to only tell some of the truth, but he never told all of it.

The dread of being different controlled his mind and made him say untruthful things sometimes.

A question remains, though.

Why does he feel dreadful?

Lloyd sighed, taking some time to think before finally speaking. "My parents did something...offensive. My sister saw exactly what happened. I was asleep so I knew nothing about it at the time. The next day, my parents and sister were called up to the Elders."

"I can already tell that whatever they did was terrible," Kai said, shuddering a bit. If someone was called up to see the Elders, than you just broke a really huge rule.

"I was called over to the Department of Justice. They explained to me what happened. It turns out that my parents were seen together without clothing and my sister witnessed it."

"You do not have to explain anymore." Kai already knew enough.

Lloyd's parents were caught together naked. His sister saw them naked. All three of them broke a big rule by exposing themselves and witnessing the exposure and were Released.

The Community had certain laws when it came to nudity.

"I apologize for having to explain such an uneasy issue with you," Lloyd said.

"I accept your apology," Kai told him sympathetically, "But there is no need to fret. Things will get better. You may not be able to attend the Ceremony, but you will be able to experience being a Fifteen and the excitement that comes with it."

Lloyd nodded. "Yes, I will. Thank you, Kai."

Before Kai went to sleep that night, he remembered the things his mother explained when they were expecting Lloyd to stay with them.

_"...He will be given the opportunity to train for any career, but the Department of Justice is concerned. He has trained at fifteen different Community locations, but the Elders are not sure which one suits him. They say the career that is right for him no longer exists. If he does not find a career when he becomes a Sixteen, we will have no choice but to Release him."_

Kai never thought that a person could be Released for not being able to find the right career. Then again, a person can be Released just for yelling what they call Opinions out in public. Nobody was allowed to express their thoughts. They could think them, but they can't speak them. That's just the way the cookie crumbles.

That night, Kai had a dream about what he thought Releases were. He believed that people who were Released were placed on an aircraft and sent to a land filled with nothing but peace and no rules. A place where you could speak about whatever you want with whoever you want. Where emotions were allowed and you didn't have to go through the same schedule day after day.

To shorten it up, it was a land what some would call Paradise.

After the morning meal and the Telling of Dreams, Kai decides to take Lloyd out and help get him some Volunteering in. He wasn't sure where they should go to help out until they bumped into his friends, Jay and Skylor.

"Good morning, Kai," Skylor greeted.

"Good morning, Skylor," Kai said. He turned to Jay. "The same to you, Jay."

"Would you like to introduce us to your new acquaintance there, Kai?" Jay asked, pointing to Lloyd.

Kai nodded. "Of course. Jay, Skylor, this is Lloyd. He will be staying with my family for the year."

"Is he an Orphan?" Skylor asked.

"I am afraid so." Lloyd nodded to Kai's friends. "It is wonderful to meet you both."

"I suppose you both are out to search for Volunteer Work," Jay said, "Skylor and I were actually on our way to the House of the Old. Would you both like to join us?"

"Sure," Kai nodded. He shifted his eyes towards Lloyd. "Are you interested, Lloyd?"

Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, that will be fine."

With the decision finalized, the four headed to the House of the Old. They all made it just in time. It was time to give the Old a bath.

Lloyd wasn't sure if he could handle such a task considering that bathing the Old meant that he would see them naked, but Kai reassured his new friend that seeing the Old naked was not against the rules. It was the same with Newchildren. Lloyd was relieved and decided to help out.

Kai was given instructions to bathe a woman name Mystake. They explained that she is a sweet woman and is always smiling, but she tends to have a very loud voice. It was only a fair warning before he began.

When he met Mystake, she looked the same as all the other Old people. She had long white hair that was actually pulled down and ended to the midst of her back. Her eyes were a shade of blue surrounded with crow's feet and bags from years of working. And as he expected, she was naked.

Kai bowed his head in respect. "Good morning, Mystake. Are you ready for your bath?"

"I certainly am, young man," Mystake said in her deafening voice, "Mind helping me in the tub?"

Kai nodded. He collected the woman's bathrobe and towel and headed for the bathroom. Kai had never been inside the House of the Old before and was surprised to see how different the bathrooms here were than the one at his home. The bathtub looked more like a stand-in shower and all Mystake could do was stand under the water that came pouring out from the shower faucet.

Kai began bathing the Old woman. Throughout the time, Mystake continued smiling. Kai had a feeling it was only because she felt safe and happy. She looked trusting and free. These feelings to Kai are ironic because the citizens gave up their freedom years ago when they decided to live in a Community of Sameness. Their feeling of security is an illusion, a false appearance as the Elders would say.

But Kai did his best to rid his mind of negative thoughts. And he was relieved when Mystake spoke up.

"Do you know what we did this morning?" Mystake asked.

"What did you do?" Kai asked.

"Well we had a Release ceremony for one of the Old here today. He was a man name George."

"I did not know you had a ceremony for Releases. What is it like?" Kai began lathering soap in the loofah.

"Well, first they started by telling his background. You know, telling about what his career was and all. Anyway, the ceremony is designed to make the lives of everyone sound meaningful." Mystake clears her throat. "Pardon me. I meant to say that all lives are meaningful." She then lens in and whispers in Kai's ear as he was in the middle of scrubbing her back. "In my personal Opinion, and do not tell anyone I said this, the citizens are under the impression that their lives are meaningful, but in reality they all live meaningless lives. They behave like robots because they chose Sameness over individuality. But do not say so to anyone else."

"I will be sure not to." Kai continued scrubbing Mystake's back.

"I remember a woman they Released just last week. Her name was Eleanor, I believe. Yes, that was her name. Anyway, she was a Nurturer throughout her life and the Elders said she was a very smart woman." She clears her throat again. "Pardon my language. I meant to say a very intelligent woman. But just between you and me, I do not believe she was at all. She could never remember half her own life if anyone ever asked her."

"I see." Kai sets the loofah down and turns the shower off. "Okay, Mystake. Your bath is over. Let me dry you off."

Mystake sighs. "Your mind may not think about certain thoughts, but have you ever thought about Releases?"

Kai's eyes widened. He never believed others had similar thoughts. "Actually, I have. I even had a dream about it last night."

"Did you now?"

"Yes. In my dream, my thoughts about Release drifted on to thinking about a place called Paradise. Do you have the same thoughts?"

"There are times when I do, but one thing puzzles me."

"What is it?" Kai placed the bathrobe around Mystake's frail body.

"Why is it that the Elders never tell us about Releases?"

Kai couldn't think of an answer so he only said the first thing that came to mind. "I wish I knew."

Kai remained at the House of the Old until Volunteering hours were over. He and Lloyd rode their bicycles home, but before they left, Kai remembered speaking to Skylor earlier while helping to prepare the midday meal for the Old.

Kai explained to Skylor what Mystake told him about Releases, but all she said was, "Do not think so hard about that. There may be a logical reason why the Elders keep Releases a secret. Maybe it is a part of life that we will never understand."

Skylor always knew just what to say and Kai always knew when to listen. Her voice was one to where you could hear her speak all day and never grow weary. She had hair that was always pulled up in a ponytail and eyes that were a perfect shade of blue.

Kai couldn't understand why he had such thoughts about her. But when he went to sleep that night, his dream answered his bewilderment.

He dreamt that he and Skylor were together. They were both without clothes and they were bathing in the same shower. Kai was scrubbing Skylor's hair while she rubbed the loofa on Kai's chest. And throughout the whole dream, Kai felt pleasant and content.

He told his family and Lloyd the dream he had the next morning. Lloyd was already feeling uncomfortable when Kai mentioned the work "naked." Nya had yet to understand everything Kai meant by such a dream.

But the adults of the house knew exactly what Kai meant.

"Kai, you have nothing to feel ashamed about," Mother said, "Everyone starts to have those types of dreams as they are progressing into adulthood. They are called Stirrings."

"And there is a way to cease the Stirrings," Father said, "There is a pill that you will have to start taking. It will make sure that you never have dreams such as that again."

"You must remember that physical affection within the family unit is uncommon, and physical affection or touching outside of the family unit is absolutely inappropriate and rude." Mother held out a little pill to Kai. "These pills will aid you into keeping those thoughts away. The Elders only do this to keep everyone in the Community safe."

"I understand," Kai nodded and took the pill like a big boy.

He didn't really have much of a choice. What Kai's mother said was true. Touching people was a law. Physical affection was a law. You could pretty much say that love is a law.

Kai wasn't sure if the pills were actually a good thing or not. He knows that Jay takes the pill, but he never ask because asking about personal issues was rude.

Kai knew that the pills were another way the Elders controlled citizens of all Communities. In order remain under the Sameness status, the human mind had to be in control and certain feelings that can inflict mental pain were to be eliminated. The medications help with those issues in order for the citizens to think the same and act the same.

Throughout the day, Kai was both content and saddened. He was happy to finally take the pill like all adults have to and was proud to see that he was becoming a man, but was sad to know that all the pleasurable thoughts he had in his dream disappears.

Now he feels the same before the dream.

Why does growing up have to be so difficult?

* * *

**OKAY, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW OR IF YOU DO KNOW, BUT STIRRINGS IN THE GIVER MEAN "SEXUAL DESIRE." THAT'S WHY I WARNED YOU ABOUT THE NAKEDNESS IN THE BEGINNING.**

**SO NOW YOU KNOW THE STORY BEHIND LLOYD'S FAMILY BEING RELEASED. THIS CHAPTER MAINLY EXPLAINED ALL THAT. BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE GIVER, YOU WILL FIND OUT LATER ON WHAT RELEASE REALLY IS.**

**WELL, HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	5. The Ceremony

CHAPTER 4

THE CEREMONY

The big day has finally arrived.

The month of December was here.

The Ceremony would begin soon.

But before Kai and his family could attend, they had to get ready.

The Ceremony last for one day. It would be a long one and was considered what the Elders called a Holiday, the day where work was ceased for the event. It was the only Holiday the Community ever received except for the first day of January.

Kai prepares himself by wearing the required clothing: a white sweatshirt, white pants and black dress shoes. It was the Ceremony clothing required for men. Women had to wear white dresses, white stockings and black flats.

Nya despised this one day of the year. She couldn't stand wearing a dress, but fearing her individuality, she forced herself to wear it. She wished she could fix up her hair, but her mother said there was no time.

"I only plan to pull it up," Nya said, "That way it will not be in my face."

"Your hair is exquisite the way it is," Mother said, "Now hurry and get ready."

Nya sighs. She then stares at her brother. "Why is it that Kai gets to spend so much time on his hair?"

"Because my hair is different," Kai replied in a teasing manner.

"Kai, language," Father said.

"I apologize." Kai looked at Nya. "I meant to say that my hair is opposite from yours."

"In what way?" Nya asked, growing annoyed.

"It has these spikes." He patted the top of his head. "And you are as straight as a board."

"You are full of it."

"That is enough, you two," Mother said, standing in between the bickering siblings, "I want no more asserting. I would like for us to leave early so we can get good seats in the Auditorium. Now please continue getting ready for the Ceremony."

"Yes, Mother," Kai and Nya obeyed, heading back inside their respective bedrooms to finish getting prepared.

Once Kai closed his bedroom door, Lloyd stood up. "Do you and Nya usually assert?"

"Every once in a while," Kai said, "That is just what siblings do."

"My sister and I were never close. We hardly ever spoke to each other. It was not the fact that we did not enjoy one another. We just never had anything in common."

"I am sorry to hear that." Kai wouldn't know how he could handle not being close with Nya. It would drive him insane if they never got along at all.

"You do not have to apologize. She is no longer here, anyway." Lloyd sat down on his bed as he took out one of his reading materials.

Kai had forgotten that Lloyd would not be allowed to attend the Ceremony due to being without a family unit. At least he would still be considered a Fifteen and, if they finally seeked a profession for him, he could be with all the other Sixteens next December.

Even though he was not allowed to be placed in their family unit, Kai still treats Lloyd like family. He helps him out when he needs it. He shows him how to do certain things boys do and help give him a chance. Even though Lloyd is assigned to be in Kai's family for one year, they have to sign a pledge stating that they will not become emotionally attracted to Lloyd.

_It is probably too late_, Kai thought, _I already think of Lloyd as a brother. He has only been here for two weeks and I have gotten to know him more than the rest of my family._

Throughout the time Lloyd has been living with them, he's told Kai about his times as a child and can tell that Lloyd was a kind person who prefers seeing the good in everyone, no matter what type of person each citizen was. That was just Lloyd's nature. He's also an individual who tries to keep to himself and doesn't like causing trouble.

Kai wishes he could be more like Lloyd. The Fifteen seems to act with Sameness just like everyone else and Kai felt...dissimilar.

And he shouldn't. Being different is not an option.

Kai sighed, breaking the silence. "So where will you be staying during the Ceremony?"

"Here," Lloyd said, "The Department of Justice will look after me through the cameras. I will be fine. I do hope I will not miss anything important at the Ceremony."

"No need to fret. The Ceremony of Fifteen is only about the girls receiving new clothing. You will not miss a thing."

_I wish I could,_ Kai thought.

There was a knock on the door and the voice of Kai's mother sounded from the other side. "Kai, we are leaving."

"I am coming out," Kai answered.

It was time to prepare for life as an adult.

The family rode on their bikes to the Auditorium, the largest monumental building in the Community. The outside looked plain and simple in its white texture color and building structure of metal. The inside was simple as well. The walls were white, the floor was gray and the seats were black.

Everyone in the Auditorium took their seats. Coming up on the screen was a holographic footage of the Chief Elder. She was a woman with gray hair tied up in a bun and she wore the article of business clothing that women wore to their careers. She had light gray eyes and her skin showed off its wrinkles that refused to cover up.

In order to be the same, you had to brave out your natural beauty.

The Chief Elder smiled in her holographic form in front of the audience. "Good morning. Happy first day of December."

"Good Morning, Chief Elder," the audience chanted.

"Before we begin the Ceremony, I would like to make the traditional speech of the Community." The Chief Elder paused before continuing with the speech. "Every Community is given the opportunity to grow and thrive. In order to do so, we must keep order and make sure that Sameness is a must, not a choice. It has been two hundred and forty-nine years since the Community was formed and nothing has change. Nothing ever will and it is thanks to us for making the world a better place to live."

The audience applauded by patting their right hands on their right legs. It was a weird way to applaud, but it's how they do it.

The Ceremony begins with the Naming and Placement for Newchildren. Kai learned a few years ago that the Elders "recycle" the names of the people who were Released and use those names to give to the Newchildren. Kai recalled Mystake telling him about the man name George who was recently Released. That happened to be the name for one of the male Newchildren.

Kai wondered about the man who owned his name before receiving it for himself.

They then started to call up family units to come and receive their Replacement Newchild. One of those family's was his friend Jay's.

Kai recalled the incident that happened to Jay's sister, Melody. She was an Eleven at the time when she wandered away from home one day and accidentally fell in the river that runs near the Community. The Community Protectors tried catching her, but she ended up going down the waterfall and disappeared. Nobody knows to this day if she's alive or not.

The announcement was made that same day by the Chief Elder herself. She stood in the center of the Community in her holographic form and after explaining the incident, she went to explain the reason why strict rules exist. For a family unit to lose one of their two children is a rare occurrence. When everyone conforms and acts the same, nothing bad happens, and the Community remains an extremely safe place to live. When people don't follow the rules, they are considered inferior because they infringed on the Community's sense of order and success.

Now after having to once again go through the process, Jay's family received another female Newchild. She was named Melody after the former female.

After the Newchildren have been given to their new families, the Spouses are assigned. One man and one woman the same age are brought together to start a family and raise the future children to teach them the ways of the Community.

Next comes the ages from the Twos to the Sixteens.

The Twos receive their comfort object and are also introduced to the discipline wand and what it's for. Kai can tell that every child will know the wand and some may get it once and some more than once.

The females who have become Threes receive their hair ribbons. The Fours are given jackets with the buttons on the back so other children can practice buttoning up the jackets. The girls also get their hair braided.

Fives receive three playing objects of their choice. Females who become a Six will now wear dresses. Sevens receive jackets with buttons in the front to learn to button them up themselves.

The Eights will now be required to go for Community service. This means the comfort and playing objects are taken away. The females will be rid of the hair ribbons and be given shortened hair.

The Nines will receive their bicycles. When they did, one of the boys name Gerald, who happens to live next door to Kai, almost bumps into the podium. Gerald is quite clumsy and is always getting into trouble for such things as not studying for school quizzes, losing his homework, or wearing his shoes on the wrong feet. Gerald's behavior is a problem for his parents because it indicates that they are not justified parents. People who do not behave the same as others in the Community jeopardize the order and success of the entire Community.

Male children becoming Tens will get their haircut. Females turning Eleven will be given new articles of under clothing for their changing bodies.

The Twelves receive their Reading Materials and Computer. Females becoming Thirteens get fingernail paint in ten colors. Fourteens are given jackets with zippers in the front. Females turning Fifteen switch from dresses to dress pants and blouses.

Then came the moment of truth.

It was the Sixteens turn.

Adulthood was calling.

Life was about to change.

The Chief Elder called up all the children becoming a Sixteen. As much as his thoughts of apprehension took over, Kai mustered up the courage to stand up and walk down to the floor of the Auditorium with all the other Sixteens.

Kai stood in the spot that read Number Nineteen. It was the number he was assigned with as a Newchild because he was the Nineteenth Newchild born that year. Standing next to him was Skylor, who was Number Eighteen. Since Jay was Number Four, he was up front.

Kai is comforted with the realization that whatever Assignment he receives will be the right one for him. Rarely are people dissatisfied with their Assignments. If people are unhappy with their Assignments, or if they feel as though they no longer fit in the Community, they can apply for Release. Applying for release because a person dislikes an Assignment is almost unheard of because the decisions made by the Committee of Elders are meticulously thought out.

Kai recalled a time when a boy name Stephen was given the Assignment as a Caretaker for the House of the Old. He wanted to be a Nurturer and was dissatisfied with the Assignment given to him. He applied for Release the next day.

Jay was with Kai that day. He shook his head and said, "Here today and gone tomorrow. Never seen again."

It only made Kai question more about what Release truly is.

Shaking thoughts from his mind, Kai looked up to see the Chief Elder in her holographic form smiling down at the new group of Sixteens. "Happy December, Fifteens. I am filled with trepidation to be surrounded by each and every single one of you. You Fifteens have spent all your years until now learning to fit in, to standardize your behavior, to curb any impulse that might set you apart from the group. As of today, you are no longer known as Fifteens. You are now known as Sixteens. And to prove your adulthood, it is time to hand out your Assignments. We have been watching over each and every one of you throughout all your Community services. We are pleased to give you the careers we know are accurate for you. Let us begin. Please rise, Sixteens."

All the new Sixteens rose to their feet. Kai gave a light tap to Skylor's arm. Once she looked up at him, he whispered, "Good luck in adulthood."

"Same to you," Skylor whispered, smiling at him before looking forward.

"We shall first begin with Number One," said the Chief Elder, "Jane. You have always been a content child and also timid, but joyful nonetheless. Your Assignment is Birthmother. Thank you for your childhood."

After going through the next two Sixteens, the Chief Elder made it to Jay. "Number Four. Jay. You have always been a rather articulate child and you have sometimes made minor faults. I can recall the time when you had difficulty learning precise language."

Kai remembers those days. As a Three, Jay always had trouble pronouncing his words right. He would ask for a "smack" rather than a "snack." Each time Jay made this error, the Childcare worker, whose responsibility it is to teach the children the importance of precision of language, swatted Jay with a discipline wand. For a time, Jay stopped talking.

The Chief Elder continued. "But throughout the years, Jay has learned how to use precise language and even though he can be considered whimsical, we can never forget how he sometimes makes us laugh in a grand way." The entire Auditorium laughs. After the noise level dies down, the Chief Elder resumed. "Which also brings us to how intelligent Jay truly is. And the Assignment given to him has proved it. Jay, your Assignment is Computer Monitor."

"Yes!" Jay cheered, accepting his Assignment.

The Chief Elder smiled. "Thank you for your childhood."

"You can keep it!" Jay exclaimed. The Chief Elder gave him a look before he sat back down with his family unit.

The Chief Elder continued going through Numbers until she got to Skylor's. "Number Eighteen. Skylor. You are a remarkable female with a sympathetic heart and you have proven your loyalty in the Community. This makes you a helpful individual. Your Assignment is Caretaker for the Old. Thank you for your childhood."

Kai smiled. He was glad to see Skylor received the Assignment she wanted.

And he hoped the Committee of Elders have chosen the right one for him.

Kai listened closely to hear the Chief Elder call out his name and number. To tell everyone the type of person he is. To announce his new Assignment.

But what he expected was unexpected.

"Number Twenty. James."

Kai couldn't believe it.

The Chief Elder had done the one thing he never thought she do.

She skipped his name.

That can't be right. Kai couldn't believe it. Could the Chief Elder have made a mistake?

No, that's never true. The Chief Elder would never make a mistake.

Unfortunately, Kai feels as though he has unknowingly done something wrong and is being punished. Feeling mortified, he tries to make himself smaller in his seat. He wanted to disappear, to fade away, not to exist. He has a mixture of feelings such as humiliation and terror because he has been skipped over.

Bewilderment spreads throughout everyone in the Auditorium. They are prone to believing that Kai is different, which in Kai's Community, it's not a positive attribute.

Nya can't help but feel anxious for Kai. This must not be easy for him as he has no idea what to do. She even admits it to her father.

"I am concerned about Kai," Nya said in her father's ear, "Did he do something wrong?"

Father shook his head. "I am sure the Chief Elder has a logical explanation for all this."

After an hour has passed, the last Sixteen has been assigned their career.

Except for Kai. He still had no idea what was going on.

It just doesn't make sense. Kai went through everything during Volunteering Hours and Community service to try and search for the right Assignment.

What did he do wrong?

The Chief Elder appeared in her holographic form looking at the citizens in the Auditorium with a straight face. "Everyone, I would like to apologize to you all and especially Kai for causing you to suffer great discomfort from skipping Kai's name."

"We accept your apology," everyone in the Auditorium chanted.

"Please understand that we have a purpose for skipping Kai. Kai, please rise."

Kai rosed from his seat as the Chief Elder looks down at him and continued. "Kai, you have not been assigned."

This caused Kai to actually fear for his own life, but he was astonished to hear what the leader said next.

"Kai, you have been selected."

Kai had no idea what to think.

Selected.

Selected for what?

"You have been selected to become the next Receiver of Memory. The most honored position in the community. Please be reminded that as a new Receiver trains, he is to be alone, apart from others so the person selected must be perfect for the position because he cannot be observed — except by the current Receiver of Memory, who will train Kai.

"During the selection process, if anyone on the Committee of Elders would have had Dreams of Uncertainty, the candidate would no longer have been considered for the position of Receiver. When considering Kai, there were no such Dreams of Uncertainty, thus knowing that Kai is perfect for the position of Receiver.

"The qualities that a Receiver of Memory must possess include intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the Capacity to See Beyond. And we have seen that Kai possesses all those qualities."

Kai is unsure whether or not he has this last quality, but as he looks out at the audience, he sees the audience change, the same way that the apple changed. Everyone in his eyes looked...different on the outside. Kai remembered when he first saw Lloyd's shade of green eyes. Kai only had orange eyes, yet his light eyes had given everyone else's a certain look as if one were looking into the clear water of the river, down to the bottom, where things might lurk which hadn't been discovered yet. Maybe Kai does have the Capacity to See Beyond.

Maybe he was meant to be the Receiver of Memory after all.

At least he hoped he was.

Kai spent the rest of the Ceremony in his own thoughts. He kept seeing glances from an Elder with a long white beard and what looked to be a black cap on his head. Kai had this strange feeling that he may be the Receiver of Memory.

When Kai and his family returned home, Nya almost had the sudden urge to hug him, but it was against the rules to touch others in any way. She could only give him a smile as she walked with him down the hall to his bedroom.

"It will be fine, Kai," Nya said, "I am sure this will be a selection like no other."

"Why do you call it a selection?" Kai asked.

"I do not know what else to refer it as. The Chief Elder said you were not assigned. Only selected. If you would like to speak with me about anything, I will be here."

Kai smiled. "Thank you, Nya." He enters inside his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Lloyd looked up from his Reading Material and smiles. "You are back. How was the Ceremony?"

"It was well," Kai told him.

"What was your Assignment?"

Kai sighed. He wasn't sure if he could tell Lloyd, but nothing was a secret in the Community. So he let honesty take over. "I have not been given an Assignment. I have been selected to become the next Receiver of Memory."

"Is it better than an Assignment?"

"It is a huge honor. May be talk about it another time? It is almost time for bed."

"Of course." Lloyd began preparing for bed as well.

That night, Kai is bewildered about his future as the new Receiver of Memory. He feels fear because he will have to endure physical pain and will be alienated from his friends and family, but he feels pride because the members of the Community are in awe of him and he hasn't done anything yet.

He has only been selected.

Just that one word can make anyone feel special.

Selected.

* * *

**WELL, NOW WE KNOW.**

**KAI HAS NOT BEEN CHOSEN. HE HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BECOME THE NEXT RECEIVER OF MEMORY.**

**WELL, HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	6. The Receiver of Memory

CHAPTER 5

THE RECEIVER OF MEMORY

Every morning for the past week, Kai woke up with a realization hitting him in the face.

His life will never be the same.

And the results was led to the fact that he is the new Receiver of Memory.

Ever since the end of the December Ceremony, Kai has felt separated and different from everyone else. And everyone acted in a completely new fashion than what he's used to. Whenever he was riding his bike or walking around the Community, people would move aside to let him pass. Nobody would speak to him. Not even his peers. Even Jay seemed uncomfortable when he came near Kai. Nobody knew how to act around Kai and thus ended up avoiding him.

This caused Kai to feel very much alone and isolated seeing everyone's reactions towards him. For the first time in his life, Kai doesn't feel the same as everyone else. His mind was filling up with various emotions: uneasy, nervous, worried, and quite unhappy.

And he didn't know what else to do.

The only people he could turn to was Nya and Lloyd. His parents became unhelpful towards him.

But Kai also put some thought into his new title. Maybe there was a reason why people were acting strange towards him. His parents may know.

After the morning meal, Kai asked his parents, "Mother, Father, do you know anything about the last person who was selected to be the Receiver of Memory?"

"Unfortunately not, Kai," Mother said, "All we know is that the last person selected was a female, but nobody knows what happened to her."

"All we know is that her name is Not-To-Be-Spoken," Father said.

Kai noticed throughout the whole time his parents answered his question, they tried extra hard not to make eye contact with him. They became silent after no longer making previous comments about the past Receiver. Even his own parents acted uncommon around him. He felt isolated from his parents, the only people he thought he could count on.

But he knew one good bit of information about the last Receiver of Memory. Kai knows that something terrible happened to the girl because a Not-to-Be-Spoken name means total humiliation and dishonor. Whatever she did must have been pretty big and pretty bad. Maybe even worse than what Lloyd's parents committed.

There was one similarity about Kai's Selection that everyone else also had with their Assignments. Each Sixteen receives a folder that contains instructions for their lifelong careers.

Kai wonders about the future he is to lead when he begins his Selection. He knows he won't have any time to see his friends as he focuses on his next stage in life, but questions began to clog his mind.

_I never thought an alteration__ would arrive so soon, _Kai thought, _I cannot help but wonder. What__ will happen to my friendships? What will happen to mindless hours playing ball, or riding my bike along the river? Will I ever be allowed to have fun ever again?_

But Kai had to accept the fact that his childhood was over. Nothing would bring it back.

All he can do now is read the instructions for his Selection.

Eight rules were listed on the sheet. Unlike the Assignments his peers were chosen for who had folders full of various numbers of sheets, his only had one piece of paper.

1) You are to report to the Annex entrance behind the House of the Old each day.

2) You are to go straight home after training each day.

3) You are exempt from rudeness and you may ask questions and get answers from anyone.

Kai saw rule number three to be shocking. Nobody in the Community was free to ask rude questions. He continued reading.

4) You are not to discuss anything about your training.

5) You are prohibited from dream-telling.

This is also quite a surprise. Telling and analyzing dreams is a routine that every family unit in the Community is required to do. Having no other choice, he resumed reading.

6) You are not to ever apply for medication unless it is unrelated to your job.

Kai had a feeling that the Selection to be the next Receiver of Memory would be painful. He won't be able to take any medication for the pain, which is agonizing on his part. He continued on.

7) You will not be allowed to apply for Release.

That doesn't bother Kai too much. He can't fathom the idea of ever wanting to apply for Release, no matter how painful the Selection is.

And now it's time to move on to the last rule.

8) You are allowed to lie.

Of all the things that unnerved Kai the most, this rule was the one that became the winner. No one in the Community was EVER allowed to lie. This makes Kai wonder how many other people received this same rule, and how many people did actually lie.

Kai wasn't sure what to think of all this. For the first time, he is faced with the possibility that his entire Community could be based on a lie, and every single person could be lying. And if people are lying, then the Community itself and its utopian ideals are also lies.

Many of these rules shatter some illusions Kai has about the Community, and it is clear that his Selection will not be anything he might expect.

Not only did he have to deal with lying, but he also became concerned about being rude towards others, never allowed to share his dreams, or being able to take medication for the pain he'll endure during his training.

It must be a difficult life as the Receiver of Memory.

Once Kai was finished reading his Selection instructions, he started getting ready to leave when Lloyd walked inside the room.

"Oh, I am sorry," Lloyd apologized, "I will wait outside until you are finished."

"No, it is fine," Kai said, "Come inside."

"Okay." Lloyd walked inside and shut the door. "Are you okay, Kai? Are you anxious?"

Kai sighed. "I cannot lie. I will admit that I am. It must be a heavy burden to be the next Receiver of Memory. I am not sure if I can handle it."

"I am sure you can. Remember, this is only your training. It may not be easy at first, but after awhile, it may be what you were hoping to find in life."

"Do you really think so?"

Lloyd nodded. "I know so."

Kai walked up to his new friend. "Lloyd, thank you." He then did something he thought he'd never do. He placed his hand on Lloyd's shoulder.

What Kai doesn't know is that Lloyd saw a vision in his mind of Kai tossing the apple back and forth to Jay, only to find out that the apple has change. Lloyd didn't know it, but he saw the apple change from a dull color to the color red.

Kai became concerned for his friend. He removed his hand off Lloyd's shoulder and asked, "Are you okay, Lloyd?"

Lloyd didn't hesitate to nod his head. "Yes, I am fine."

Kai sighed a breath of relief. "Glad to hear it. I better leave now. I do not want to be late for training."

Lloyd wanted to ask Kai about the vision he was just given, but decided to sweep it under the rug and forget about it.

When Kai walked outside to his bike, he noticed the nameplate was changed by the Maintenance Crew during the night, showing that he was now an adult in the Community. But when he finally made it to the Annex building, also known as the Receiver of Memory's accommodations, everything he's going through indicates that his life has dramatically changed and will never be the same.

When Kai goes up to the entrance of the building, he is surprised to see that the door was locked, unaware that any door in the Community could ever be locked. Nobody was ever allowed any privacy.

The door automatically unlocked itself from machines. When Kai walked down the stairs and inside the room, he could see furniture that was unlike any the Community ever had. They were decorative with curved lines. Unlike the furniture that dwells in the Community, which was known to be functional, the fabrics on the Receiver's chairs and bed are luxurious and, to Kai's amazement, the walls are lined from top to bottom with shelves holding thousands of books. He hadn't known that so many books existed. The only books he knew about were his school books, the training manuals, Reading Materials, reference books, and, of course, the Book of Rules. By limiting the citizens' access to books, the Committee of Elders is able to exert control over the Community. Allowing people to be exposed to different ideas, places, or characters found in books jeopardizes Sameness; books represent knowledge, which in turn represents individual freedom to make choices in life.

Kai continued staring at the room in amazement, not realizing that someone was coming down the stairs.

"Do you like what you see?"

Kai turned around and saw an old man with a beard long and white. He wore clothing of white and had a cape surrounding his backside while wearing a straw hat on his head and used a staff to help him keep balance while walking. He also had eyes that had a color like no other: gold.

This wasn't the first time he's seen eyes with a color he's never known. Lloyd had green eyes, but it made no difference. He was just like everyone else: the same.

But he could tell this man was different.

Kai approached the man. "Are you the Receiver of Memory?"

The old man nodded. "Indeed. And you are Kai. The Committee of Elders have told me all about you."

"I am sure they have." Kai looked around the room once again. "You have such a wonderful room to dwell in."

"Thank you." The Receiver sat down on a green mat with a teapot and teacup by his side. "You may set your belongings down anywhere you want."

Kai set his backpack down in the only empty corner of the room. He looked to see another mat, the color red, in front of the Receiver. Figuring he should sit down, Kai took a seat, looking up at the old man. "I have a few questions that I must ask."

"Please ask away." The Receiver sipped some tea from his cup. He poured some tea in another cup and held it out in front of Kai. "May I offer you some tea?"

Kai shook his head. "No, thank you. But maybe later."

The Receiver poured some more tea in his own cup. "What questions do you have? I can answer any and all."

"Well, what is it that you, the Receiver of Memory, actually do?" Kai asked.

"Excellent question. My job is to transmit all the memories of the world to you. Everything that I know about the past will be placed in your memories."

"But I do not understand. What is this world and all of these memories that you speak of? There is a saying that the Chief Elder has reminded us countless times: only us, only now. What do you know that the rest of the Community knows nothing about?"

The Receiver takes another sip of tea before answering. "I understand your confusion. The people of the Community do not know anything about the real world. So many years have past with people choosing Sameness over individuality. None of them are allowed to learn about the past. Everyone except you. We cannot forget about the past, but to continue this utopian society, only one is allowed to know about the real world. The future is developed based on wisdom gained from memories of the past. And one person must keep those memories alive."

"So why was I chosen?" Kai shook his head. "I mean, why was I Selected?"

"You do not need to fear about the incorrect use of your language."

"But I should not have done that. I apologize for my incorrect use of language. I promise that it will not happen again."

The Receiver sighed, setting his teacup down next to him. "There is much I must teach you. Let us start with the apologies. You see, Kai, the numerous apologies that are expected in the Community and the rote acceptance-of-apology response are unnecessary between everyone. You should not always have to apologize for everything. Only certain things should be apologized for, such as bullying or worst case scenarios."

"So why does everyone in the Community apologize? Why is it that we do these types of things? Why should we be forced to do so?"

"In the Community, language is used to control the people by pointing out that the numerous apologies and trained response are automatic for the citizens. The politeness that people exhibit toward each other is an illusion of social order. Although people appear to be considerate of each other, they really are not sorry for their actions because their responses have been trained. Blindly obedient, they apologize and accept apologies without thinking because they are following the rules."

"So we have no choice? Why is it that we cannot make our own decisions?"

"In order to continue Sameness, we must control anything that has to do with individuality. People are no longer allowed to think for themselves. They must follow orders. If they do not follow orders, terrible things could happen."

"But should we not have the freedom to think for ourselves?"

The Receiver of Memory sighs. "In a world where there are memories, if you stop thinking for yourself and follow a group, terrible things can happen. But since we live in such a society where nobody is allowed to think for themselves, nothing bad can ever happen because there are no such things as robber or thieves that can trick you into doing what they want instead of you thinking about doing the right thing."

"Robbers? Thieves? I do not think I have ever learned about such things."

"That is why you are here." The Receiver of Memory set down his teacup and stood up. "Everything that you will learn will come from the memories I pass on to you. Excuse me for a moment."

Kai saw the Receiver of Memory do something he thought would never be possible. He turned off the loudspeaker.

Loudspeakers are prohibited from ever being turned off in family dwellings or even outside in the Community. Kai wondered why the Receiver of Memory turned off his loudspeaker.

He even gave himself some courage to ask the old man. "Why did you turn off the loudspeaker?"

The Receiver of Memory faced Kai. "You will understand why. Now I would like for you to remove your shirt."

Kai wasn't sure about that. "But is it not against the rules to remove your clothing in front of others?"

"Most of the rules do not apply in this room. I promise that you will be fine."

"Okay." Kai removed his shirt and set it on top of his backpack. "So now what?"

"Please lie face down on the bed."

Kai was really becoming bewildered. Was the old man going to give him a massage. But Kai knew better than to question him. He lied face down on the soft bed and turned his head sideways. "What are you planning to do?"

The Receiver of Memory sat down in a chair beside the bed. He sighed. "I am about to give you your first memory."

Kai really knew at that exact moment that his life has completely changed. He was about to receive his first memory.

* * *

**HEY, GUYS. **

**SORRY I WAS GONE FOR SO LONG. I HAD A LOT ON MY PLATE THE PAST WEEKS, BUT I'M BACK WITH ANOTHER AMAZING CHAPTER OF THE SENSEI.**

**LOOKS LIKE KAI HAS MET THE RECEIVER OF MEMORY. AND IN THE NEXT CHAPTER HE WILL RECEIVE HIS FIRST OFFICIAL MEMORY. WHAT WILL IT BE?**

**HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	7. The First Memories

CHAPTER 6

THE FIRST MEMORIES

The memory almost feels like a dream.

The world around Kai seems...different.

That was a big change. Usually when he thinks about a word that doesn't fit in with the vocabulary, he would change it.

But wherever the Receiver of Memory has transported him, he feels...like he can be himself.

Kai can be Kai.

_I can be me_, Kai thinks to himself.

Kai stared at the world around him. Everything was white, but it was also the most gorgeous shade of white he's ever seen.

He took a sharp intake of frigid air through his nose. The air had a funny feeling to it. Why did it feel so weird? He didn't know why such a cold wind swirled around his entire body or what the white crystals were that felt like tiny cold feather-like flakes when he touched them.

Straight in front of Kai was a red wooden board. He didn't know that it was a sled, but curious of it, he took it by the rough, damp rope attached to it and began pulling it through the winter wonderland.

He spotted a big hill ahead. He had the strangest feeling that the sled would let him slide down to the bottom. Carefully sitting down and holding the rope tight, he used his feet to move the sled up closer to the hill's edge and, taking a deep breath, began sliding down to the bottom.

A rush of adrenaline passed through Kai and he began to see what everything surrounding him was. The air he was feeling was cold. The red wooden board is a sled. The white flakes falling from the sky were snowflakes.

The winter wonderland was snow.

Clear, white snow.

And it was beautiful.

When he reached the bottom of the hill, he was amazed by what he was experiencing. He never thought snow could be so much fun.

So many emotions were going through his mind. He couldn't name them all. His emotions were like the snowstorm that quickly came. The storm was a bright, whirling torrent of crystals. And so were Kai's thoughts.

Because Kai has never experienced snow, his sensations are unexplainable, but he feels a sense of peace at the conclusion of receiving the memory.

Thus he feels content.

No, not content. The true word is happiness.

The memory was not to last long. Before Kai knew it, he was back inside the Receiver of Memory's room.

Kai didn't know what to say at first, but after a moment's hesitation, he finally said, "That was...incredible. I felt like I was at peace just by being inside that memory. There were so many things. There was a sled. And snow. And hills. But why do we not have snow and hills? What happened to it? Where did it go?"

The Receiver of Memory sighed. "So many questions with only one answer. You see, generations ago, when the people chose Sameness, they also chose Climate Control and a flat terrain because the Community could produce more food, and transportation would be easier and faster without hills, curves, and hazardous weather. The people believed that Sameness would benefit the Community."

Kai began to feel anger.

No, not anger. Birse.

"That is foolish!" Kai yelled, "Why would the people give up on so many wonderful gifts life has to offer? I only wish that everybody in the Community, including myself, would have the option to choose!"

"Let me remind you that the people did choose," the Receiver of Memory said.

"Choose what?"

"They chose Sameness. Remember, when the people chose Sameness and security, they give up their individuality and the freedom to make further choices. Instead, all further choices are made for them."

Kai crossed his arms. "If I had it my way, the people would be forced to make their own choices instead of someone making the choices for them."

"I wish for the same, but we live the life that we are chosen to live."

Kai stood up from the bed. "The day is not yet over and I have already learned so much. You have trained me well, Receiver of Memory."

"I am not just your trainer who transfers memories to you. I am also your teacher. There was once a land that many have come from. A place where snow and hills exist. Not only that, but there is also sunshine and moonlight. Mountains and animals. It is a place where emotions are free to wander. And a place where you can make your own choices."

"Where is this place?" Kai asked.

The Receiver of Memory opened up the curtains and behind them were large windows. He opened the windows and led Kai outside on a balcony. "Look down below, Kai. What do you see?"

Kai looked down and gasped. "I see hills. I see snow. Right now it is so bright but it is also growing dark. There are mountains and strange comfort objects travelling down there." Something began running down his cheek. Kai wiped it off and looked at his hand. He showed it to the Receiver. "What is this? What just leaked from my eyes?"

The Receiver of Memory smiled. "Those are called tears. You shed them through a feeling called sadness."

"But I do not feel depressed. I am rather joyful."

"Tears can also be shed through happiness as well. You are placed in a state of joy seeing what is down below."

"What is the place called?" Kai asked.

"Many call it the Opposite Society. I call it by its true name. Ninjago."

"Astounding. Have you ever wished to go there?"

"Many times, but unfortunately there is no way to get there. The Community will never allow you to leave." The Receiver of Memory stepped back inside the room with Kai in tow. He closed the window doors and set the curtains back in place.

"I can tell that you will be a grand teacher, Receiver of Memory," Kai said.

The Receiver of Memory sighed. "I will be honest with you, Kai. I cannot stand being called the Receiver of Memory. It is too long and too annoying. And no, I will not apologize for my use of incorrect grammer so do not even tell me to correct myself."

"So what would you prefer to be called?"

"In Ninjago, there are teachers who are called a sensei. They teach others the skills in martial arts and life lessons. Even though I am transmitting memories from myself to you, I am also showing you the life that is real. As of today, you are to call me The Sensei."

"Yes, Sensei," Kai said.

"Now let us continue. I am going to transmit another memory to you. It will be just as wonderful as the first."

Kai laid back down face first on the bed. The Sensei placed his hands on the young boy's back and transmitted another memory to him.

The memory Kai was given this time was sunshine.

He noticed that the air was warm. The sound of people playing outside could be heard in the distance. There was music coming from everywhere. Kai didn't know that the music came from an ice cream truck.

He looked to see that he was only wearing some type of shorts. He was given a thought to call them swimming trunks. He looked around and noticed he was on a beach. He was standing on the sand. Beneath his feet were seashells. He picked one up and smiled.

_What a wonderful treasure from the ocean_, he thought.

Looking out in front of him, he saw a massive ocean. It was huge. And it looked so cool. Giving it a go, he walked out to the water and swam. He swam through the waves and stood on the shoreline. The majestic beauty of the ocean. How beautiful it is.

It was paradise. A place Kai wanted to live in forever.

Until the memory faded and he was back in the land of Sameness.

The Sensei smiled. "How was it?"

"It was...fun." And this time Kai didn't feel a thing when using improper grammer.

"I am glad to hear." The Sensei walked over to pick up his teacup. "I see these memories have given you a better perspective about real individuality."

"We once had so many things. Why did we throw it all away? I apologize for my rudeness, but I prefer individuality over Sameness."

"You are not the only one." Sensei takes a sip of his tea. "Many are forced to choose Sameness unless you are the Receiver of Memory."

"Sensei, will all the memories I receive from you be pleasurable? It was stated in my rules and guidelines that I would have to endure pain throughout my training. What type of pain will it be?"

The Sensei sighed. He set his teacup down and had Kai lie face down. "I am not sure how to explain the pain you will be receiving. I will transmit you a memory that will explain the pain that awaits you."

The Sensei transmits Kai to the beach where his back is bare. The sun is beaming down and pointed at any skin not covered in sunscreen or a shirt. This caused Kai to receive a sunburn on his back and he began screaming in pain.

He was brought back to The Sensei's room and jumped off the bed. He breathed heavily to ease the pain of the sunburn on his back. Once he calmed down, he looked at his teacher and said, "You were right, Sensei. I now understand pain."

The Sensei shook his head. "You do not know what true pain really is."

"What do you mean?" Kai asked.

The Sensei returned Kai's shirt. "There is no need to worry about that. It is time for you to start heading home. Your training is done for the day. We shall continue tomorrow."

"Thank you, Sensei. You have taught me well. I know the pain that I will feel will hurt, but I can handle it."

What Kai doesn't know is the real pain he'll deal with in the future.

He will actually be enduring indescribable pain.

Kai could barely sleep throughout the night. The sunburn on his back was irritating him. Plus he had a strange dream as well. He saw that he was going downhill on a sled in the snow toward a certain destination, but he can't reach the destination. He knows only that the destination welcomes him and is important.

He remembered what he said in his dream:

_"Always it seems as if there is a destination: a something — I could not grasp what — that lay beyond the place where the thickness of snow brought the sled to a stop." _

Kai suddenly woke up hearing the automatic alarm. After getting dressed and preparing for school, he went to eat the morning meal with his family. When it came time to discuss dreams, his mother excused him from the table.

Kai made sure to share the list of rules about his Selection. One of the rules from the instructions specifically states that he cannot discuss his dreams. He wondered if he could share the dreams with The Sensei. He may know something and could maybe interpret it.

Just thinking about the dream caused him to have some sort of feeling. A feeling that he couldn't describe. He tried his best to forget the feeling as he packed his backpack for school.

Once Kai made it to school on his bike, he overheard all his friends discussing their training. He felt alienated because he was not allowed to share his training with anyone. Not even with his closest friends, Skylor and Jay.

_It would not really matter,_ Kai thought, _It would sound so absurd to even try discussing my training to my peers. They would never understand the things I have seen so far. All they know is Sameness. I now understand that there is much more to life than Sameness._

Kai walked over to Skylor and Jay. "Hello, Skylor. Hi, Jay."

"Oh, hello, Kai," Jay said, acting stranger than usual, "I wish I could stick around, but I have somewhere else I need to be. See you later." He walks away and hides beside a tree.

Skylor sighed. "Do not mind him. I believe that he is only anxious to be near you. He is concerned that you may have been... altered."

Kai shook his head. "I have not been altered. I am still myself."

"I know you are, but it will take some time for everyone here to get used to your new way of life. You will see everything in a whole new view soon. The Selection is a high honor, but it will isolate you from everyone. That is the reason why people need time to get used to you. It is only until you feel comfortable becoming the next Receiver of Memory."

Kai smiled. "Thank you, Skylor."

The bell rang for class. Skylor waved Kai goodbye. "I better go. Hope to see you soon, Kai."

When Skylor walked away towards the building, Kai saw something completely different about her. It was her hair. It had turned red.

Kai had recalled the Chief Elder saying something about him being able to posses the quality of the Capacity to See Beyond. He could tell all this when he saw the apple that he and Jay were tossing turning red, the faces of the audience became many various colors and now he witnessed Skylor's hair changing to red.

Knowing this could be a new ability, he decided to ask The Sensei about it during his training after school.

He was glad The Sensei had the answers.

"It is another forgotten pleasure after individuality ended," The Sensei explained, "When the Community chose Sameness, they gave up on colors. The color that you continue to see is the color red. Because the Community wanted to do away with all differences as a way to control the people and their environment, genetic scientists are still trying, as they have for generations, to eliminate any and all colors that exist in people and the environment to attain absolute Sameness." He sighed. "We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others."

Kai finally mustered up the courage to rage out an emotion he hardly ever feels: anger.

"I cannot believe this!" Kai yelled, "Why have the people done this to themselves? They took away such wonderful and unique things this world offers us! Colors, sunshine, snow! They gave everything up for Sameness! Why is Sameness more important than individuality? I want to know!"

Taking a red rubber ball off the nightstand, Kai threw it across the room, doing his best to calm down. The Sensei gave him as much time as he needed. He even gave Kai the rest of training time.

Towards the end, he walked up to Kai. "How do you feel now that you have taken out all of your anger?"

Kai sighed. "I actually feel good." Once again, he wasn't scolded for using incorrect vocabulary.

"I believe you have learned a lesson today, my student. You finally understand the insight about the philosophy of Sameness. I am proud of you. Our training for today is complete. Tomorrow we shall begin anew."

Kai gathered his belongings and waved goodbye to The Sensei. "See you tomorrow. And thank you for understanding."

With that, Kai left The Sensei's room. He was actually looking forward to training tomorrow. It means he can finally be someone he's always wanted to be.

* * *

**WELL, THERE YOU GO, GUYS. KAI HAS RECEIVED HIS FIRST MEMORIES AND EVEN GOT A SUNBURN. HE EVEN LEARNS THAT COLORS DON'T EXIST. TERRIBLE, TRAGIC AND HEARTBREAKING!**

**ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	8. Transferring Memories to Others

CHAPTER 7

TRANSFERRING MEMORIES TO OTHERS

Throughout the next few months, Kai begins to gain wisdom from the memories The Sensei transmits to him. Some memories are pleasurable while some are painful. Even the memories The Sensei feels are more than he can bear.

Some days The Sensei sends Kai away because he is in too much pain to be able to train his student. Kai spends this free time by himself, disappointed and worried about his future and about The Sensei. Kai worries that when he becomes the Receiver of Memory, he may live the same fate day to day.

Because The Sensei must unload some of the pain that he carries, he shares memories of excruciating pain with Kai. These painful memories, like the pleasurable memories, are lyrical. And memories that Kai wished he never saw.

One day The Sensei transmits a painful memory of an elephant hunt to Kai. Kai learns through the memory that an elephant is in the hands of poachers and is shot and killed for its tusk. He also sees that another elephant walks up to the dead elephant's mutilated body and seemingly comforts the elephant by stroking the dead animal with its trunk and then by covering the elephant with branches.

Kai wanted to faint after he is taken out of the memory. He has never before witnessed or experienced the raw emotional pain that is often felt as a result of the death of a loved one.

The poor soul has never experienced death.

The next day, Kai is given a memory which shows him breaking his leg while riding downhill on a sled. This was his first time experiencing physical pain.

During the memory, he had this thought pop up into his head:

_I gasped. It was as if a hatchet lay lodged in my leg, slicing through each nerve with a hot blade. In my agony I perceived the word 'fire' and felt flames licking at the torn bone and flesh._

After feeling such an intense amount of pain, Kai knows that the people in the Community don't really know what pain is. They all live overly protected lives.

During the next few days, The Sensei decides to include pain in all the memories he transmits to Kai. He finally made the decision to introduce Kai to one of the most painful memories of all: warfare and death.

During this memory, Kai watches a wild-eyed horse, its bridle torn and dangling, trot frantically through the mounds of men, tossing its head, whinnying in panic. He sees himself running to a fallen soldier. He gives water to the wounded boy in the warfare memory and sees the boy die as a dull blankness slid slowly across his eyes. He was silent as he transfers himself out of the memory.

Kai has experienced human death for the first time in his life.

He looks up at The Sensei that day with a straight, but painful face. "Sensei, what life have we been living?"

Ever since that day, Kai has changed. In the exact same way that many have feared.

He feels frustrated and angry as he realizes that his life will never be ordinary again. After seeing such memories, his whole life has been turned upside down.

He begins to experience an inner conflict: on the one hand, he wants to go back to the old, insulated, familiar way of life; on the other hand, he knows that he can't. He has learned too much and gained too much wisdom, and he now knows that life is meaningless without memories. He can never again settle for Sameness. Also, he is angry and frustrated because he wants to change things for his peers, but he doesn't know how.

He realizes that if his friends and family would receive memories and thereby share the burden of the pain, then their lives would be rich and fulfilled. It frustrates him that they are satisfied with their painless, colorless, routine lives.

He can't stand it. He now lives in a place where people don't understand him and he can't understand them.

He even shares these feelings with The Sensei, who understands completely.

"I feel a conflict between me and the Community," Kai explained, "I just do not belong here. I cannot understand why they do not mind living this way. I cannot stand it. What is wrong with a little change? What can I do to make them understand?"

"Kai, there is something that you must understand," The Sensei said, "The people of the Community do not want change. Life here is so orderly, so predictable, so painless. It's what they have chosen."

"But I do not understand. Why would the people of the Community choose to live as unthinking and emotionless robots?"

"They prefer a way of life that is safe and secure from all sorts of dangers. Without danger, the people have grown soft and do not think it necessary to protect themselves. Why bother when everything from the past has been abolished?"

"Except in Ninjago."

"Precisely. Ninjago is a place filled with freedom and individuality. A place where people make their own choice. It is also a place where mistakes exist. Everyone makes mistakes, but when we learn from them, those mistakes are never made again."

Kai wished that he were in Ninjago right now. He would fit right in and never be judged for being different.

In his opinion, being different is better than being the same.

After his talk with The Sensei, Kai made the decision to help change people. Remembering the memory about the elephant hunt, he wanted to try and share his newfound knowledge of elephants with Nya and his father.

He remembered the comfort objects. He had a tiger and Nya had a blue whale. He was hoping that if he could transmit memories to them, they would want to share the knowledge with others.

Father was busy combing Nya's hair that evening. Kai came up and placed his hands gently on Nya and his father's shoulders. He tried his best to give them the sight and memory of a real elephant. He continued and even started squeezing their shoulders.

Father said nothing. He just continued combing Nya's hair.

But Nya didn't hesitate to complain. "Kai, you are hurting me. Please stop."

It was no use. Kai was getting nowhere with this. He removes his hands off their shoulders, disappointment spreading his face like butter on toast.

The next day, Kai tried to break the Community members of their Sameness by showing the color red to Jay. They stood near a flowerbed of bright red geraniums.

"Jay, what do you see here?" Kai asked his best friend.

"Flowers," Jay said, bewildered by what his friend was doing.

"Yes. And what kind of flowers are they?"

"Geraniums."

Kai nodded. "Good. So in your eyes, what do they look like to you?"

Jay shrugged. "They just look like...mundane flowers."

Kai shook his head. "I do not see them that way. I see that they look different."

Jay gasped. "Kai, you are breaking the vocabulary rule."

Kai rolled his eyes. He finally risked everything he had to break the rules about how rude it is for a person to touch anyone who is not part of the person's family unit. He placed his hand upon Jay's shoulder and said, "Look at the flowers. Tell me what they look like. What they really look like."

Kai was trying to transmit the awareness of red to Jay. The comical young man became quite uncomfortable and moved away from Kai.

"Kai, you must understand that I cannot see things the way that you do," Jay said.

Kai sighed. "Well, did you know that if flowers do not receive water, they will wilt?"

"The flowers do not need water. They do not need anything." Jay turned around and walked away.

Kai knew it was no use trying to help the people in the Community see things the way he does.

Throughout his time with The Sensei, he grows accustomed to asking his trainer questions. Like today, for example.

"Sensei, even if I am to become the Receiver of Memory, will I still be able to live a normal life?" Kai asked.

"Of course," The Sensei said, "Like everyone else here in the Community, you will be able to apply for a Spouse and Newchildren."

"Did you?"

"Certainly. I was paired with a female name Rose. She now resides with the other Childless Adults. We never applied for children. But if you are to live a normal life, you must remember this: Your life will be strained. You will not be allowed to talk about your work, not even to your wife. Because books are forbidden to citizens, you will not be allowed to share them with anyone. Life will be difficult because of the burden of pain, and you will be extremely lonely."

"I would be living two lives at once."

The Sensei sighed. "I am afraid so."

"So what exactly is your role in the Community?" Kai asked.

"Well, because the Committee of Elders seldom ask me for advice, I would like to believe that my true role is spending the majority of my time alone with my memories."

"Have you ever been called upon to give them advice?"

"Only twice have the Committee of Elders ever done so. Once, they were considering an increase in population because they wanted to have more Laborers. I advised against it because I had memories of situations involving too many people and not enough food, and the people starved. The second time they sought my advice was during the time a pilot mistakenly flew over the Community. The Committee wanted to shoot down the plane immediately, but I advised against such action because my memories include times in which people impulsively shot at planes and ended up bringing about their own demise. The lesson to learn from all this is that gaining knowledge from the memories is what makes the memories invaluable."

"I am confused. Why is a Receiver of Memory needed if the Committee of Elders never ask for advice?"

The Sensei poured himself a cup of tea while answering Kai's question. "The real reason why the Elders value the Receiver of Memory is because The Receiver carries the burden of all pain. Without The Receiver, the people would have to share the painful memories. And, of course, the people do not want to feel pain." He took a sip of tea before continuing. "Let me explain to you about a past Receiver of Memory. Ten years ago, the female who had been selected to be The Receiver failed. When she was Released, the memories that she had already received from me were then experienced by the people, causing them great discomfort. They were reminded of feelings and memories. The chaotic situation that the people experienced when this new Receiver failed emphasizes the notion that everyone is interdependent."

"I thank you, Sensei. You have taught me so much. I feel comfortable talking with you about anything. I will admit that as time has gone by, you sound more bitter and cynical about the choice that the people have made to acquire Sameness."

The Sensei sighed, setting his teacup down. "Indeed, I have."

"You are better than any instructor I have ever had."

"Do not put it that way, Kai. Your instructors are well-trained, but they have only book knowledge, and book knowledge alone is meaningless without the memories from which wisdom is gained. All of the knowledge in the world is meaningless if a person cannot think freely as an individual."

"Will I have the chance to read any of these books?"

The Sensei nodded. "In time, Kai. But I believe training is over for today. I will see you again tomorrow."

When Kai left The Sensei's quarters, he began to gain insight of life in the Community. This time he is allowed to think freely for himself without Sameness getting in the way.

_I wonder about many things these days,_ Kai thinks to himself, _These past months have made me think. What would happen if Sameness could be just like individuality? What if we had hills outside the Community? If not that, what about Elsewhere? The place many call Ninjago is located somewhere below us, but where is it? I wish I could experience such a place._

During the evening meal, his father stood up to make an announcement. "The twins will be born soon at the Birth Center. When they arrive at the Nurturing Center, one of them will be prepared for Release. We must remember that no two people are alike, but everyone must act the same."

This made Kai wonder if someone will be waiting for the Released twin in Ninjago, who that person will be, and how the twin will grow up. He became increasingly frustrated. He is adamant about wanting to change things. He wants the people to have memories, and he wants to share the burden of pain with them.

He remembers something The Sensei once told him during one of their training sessions:

_"I will admit that I have never been able to think of a way to force the people to accept memories. If only there was a way that I could."_

This proves that even The Sensei wants to do away with Sameness. If only they knew how.

Kai has been able to accept change. Especially when it came to sharing a room with Lloyd.

That evening as he was getting ready for bed, Kai noticed that Lloyd seemed distressed about something.

"Is everything okay, Lloyd?" Kai asked.

Lloyd sighed. "No, I am not. I am feeling apprehensive."

"You mean you are scared."

"Kai, vocabulary rules state that the correct term is apprehensive."

"My apologies. So why do you feel sca-I mean, why do you feel this way?"

It will not be too much longer, Kai. December will be approaching in a couple of months. I will become a Sixteen, but I am troubled that I may not have a career that I fit in with."

"I also had those same feelings. But there is no reason to worry."

"Kai, do not forget-"

"Lloyd, you must remember that I am next to become the Receiver of Memory. I have learned many things. I have learned that..." Kai sighed.

Lloyd grew anxious to know. "Learned what? Can you not tell me?"

"No, I cannot. I am not allowed to discuss my training with anyone. I almost broke the rules."

"I understand."

"Just remember that no matter what, the Elders will search for you the profession you truly want." Kai placed his hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Never forget that."

Without realizing it, Kai does something he couldn't do with his father, Nya or even Jay. He transmitted a memory to Lloyd. He shows Lloyd the ocean, the sandy shores, and the sound of seagulls calling in the air.

Kai immediately removed his hand off Lloyd's shoulder and gasped. "Lloyd, are you alright?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah, I am fine, but did you just show me a day at the beach?"

Kai didn't know what to say. The power within him is frightening to behold. Even though he is scared, he also feels compelled.

Kai nodded. "Yes, I did. I hope the memory was pleasurable. Goodnight, Lloyd."

"Goodnight, Kai," Lloyd said as he tucked himself into bed.

As Kai laid down, he began to feel proud of what he's done. He will do everything in his power to fight for freedom and individuality, knowing that these qualities are best for the people. Having knowledge and wisdom, Kai cannot sit idle.

He will have to act.

* * *

**OKAY, GUYS. TIME HAS PASSED FOR KAI AND HE IS LEARNING SO MUCH. THERE IS A LOT OF PAIN IN THIS CHAPTER. MOST OF IT IS MENTALLY.**

**PLUS KAI CAN TRANSMIT MEMORIES TO LLOYD. I WONDER WHY THAT IS.**

**WELL, HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	9. The Good Memories

CHAPTER 8

THE GOOD MEMORIES

After receiving some painful memories throughout the past months, Kai is reluctant to see the Sensei. The pain that he experienced causes him to mature, and, as a result, he loses his innocence and his childhood. He does return to The Sensei, though, because he knows that the choice was not his.

The Sensei was delighted to see the young man again. "Hello, Kai. I am glad that you made it."

"I did not have much of a choice." Kai set his belongings down and sat down on the floor. "What painful memory will you transmit to me today?"

"I have no plans to give you any painful memories. I have decided that we should concentrate on transmitting good memories. I hope it can help you through the pain that you have witnessed."

"I hope so." Kai takes off his shirt and lies face down on the bed. "Let us begin, Sensei."

"You seem upset about something."

Kai wanted to tell The Sensei about how he was able to transmit a memory to Lloyd, but it was better if he didn't. "It is nothing, Sensei. I am just excited to be receiving some good memories for a change."

"I am glad to hear." The Sensei placed his hands on Kai's bare back and begins transmitting memories.

The first memory Kai experience is a birthday party. He is surrounded by friends and family as a cake is being placed in the center of the table. He blows out the candles and understands the feelings of joy. It's the joy of being an individual, special and unique and proud.

The second memory came with him being inside a museum. He discovers incredible artifacts and beautiful portraits of art. Many of the paintings he sees are painted with the many beautiful colors that he now knows exist. A sight he's glad to see after being blind for so long.

The third memory shows him riding a horse across a field. The field he learns smells of damp grass and finds out about the bonds that exist between animals and human beings. What a wonderful friendship. He also spends time learning about the joy and contentment that come from enjoying solitude, or time by oneself.

The Sensei then transmits a memory that is one of his favorites. A memory of love and happiness.

Kai finds himself in a house. He looks out the window and sees snow falling to the ground. A fire is burning in a fireplace, creating a cozy atmosphere, and colored lights decorate a Christmas tree. People are laughing as they open presents and hug each other. They appear to be very happy. From this memory, Kai learns about a traditional Christmas celebration and about the concept of grandparents. Most importantly, he learns about love, which, sadly, was a concept new to him.

When he returned home that evening, Kai asks his parents a very important question:

"Mother, Father, do you... love me?"

Kai's parents looked at one another in bewilderment. After a moment, they started laughing. Kai didn't see anything so comical about the question.

His mother stopped laughing and looked up at her son. "Kai, do remember that you are to use precise language."

"I only asked a unsubdivided question," Kai said.

"Kai, please understand that the word love is too generalized a word, so meaningless that it has become almost obsolete," Father explained.

"Do you truly understand why it is inappropriate to use a word like 'love?'" Mother asked.

"But do you love me or not?" Kai asked with frustration in his voice.

"We enjoy you, Kai," Mother said, "You are our son and we enjoy you."

Dumbfounded by his mother's response, Kai again faces the realization that his own parents, as well as everyone in the Community, stopped having individual feelings when they chose Sameness. His parents don't know what love is. Kai feels sad because he has experienced love, and love does have meaning for him.

Lloyd overheard the conversation from the bedroom. "Is everything okay, Kai?"

Kai sighed as he placed his hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Life can be different in the Community if people would change." He began sending his friend the Christmas memory and smiled. "There could be love. There could be true happiness and real families."

After this, Kai went to sleep. He woke up the next morning hearing an announcement that he never thought he would hear.

"Citizens of the Community," the loudspeakers announced, "We are now placing in an Unscheduled Holiday for today. Everyone has the day off from work, school, training, and volunteer hours."

In a way, the Community felt free, but Kai knew better.

The Community is not free. Kai knows that the people must follow strict rules and can be observed or listened to at any moment by the Committee of Elders. The people chose this way of life because they chose Sameness. When the people chose Sameness, they chose to give up their freedom and individuality. A choice that, in Kai's opinion, is ultimately destructive.

Kai walks outside and hops on his bicycle. He rides down the road in hopes of finding Jay and Skylor and enjoy the holiday. While he is riding, he analyzes his feelings, which he now understands have more depth. He compares his own feelings to everyone else's feelings and concludes that people in the Community have shallow feelings. Kai knows from the memories he has newly experienced that the feelings that people discuss during the nightly ritual of emotional sharing cannot simply be discussed; they must be felt.

Kai finally locates Jay and Skylor with a group of other Sixteens at the playing field. He watches their game, which he has played many times in the past. They are in the middle of an imaginary battle pretending to shoot each other, falling down or running every which way to avoid being shot by the enemy, made up of another group of Sixteens. All Kai can think about while he is watching the make-believe war game is the warfare memory in which the young boy dies. It pains him to see his friends play such a game that was once real in the past.

He walks over to the group in the middle of the field. Without thinking, he gets in between both sides. "Stop!"

"Kai, what are you doing?" Jay asked.

"I am ceasing this game. I do not believe you all should be battling one another. We should live together in peace and stop playing games that are realistic and must be taken seriously. Go and find something else to do."

With that, everyone left except Jay and Skylor. They couldn't understand why Kai stopped their game of war. There was nothing wrong with it.

Kai thought he had done the right thing, but everyone else thought otherwise.

"Kai, what is the matter with you?" Jay asked angrily, "I know you have been acting unusual, but you are going too far."

"You do not know how cruel this game is," Kai said, "The battling, the shooting, the enemies. It is not a game. War has happened in real life. There have been such things as guns and blood and death. So many deaths. But why should you care? You do not even understand the things I have seen."

Jay sighed. "You are right. I do not understand. Just like I do not understand why we are friends." He walked away.

Skylor looked up to Kai and smiled. "I understand that you are going through a difficult time, Kai. If you need me, do not hesitate to search for me. We can talk about things."

Kai sighed. "There is nothing to talk about, Skylor." He finally left, realizing that nobody would ever understand.

He climbed on his bicycle and began heading for home. Knowledge and wisdom have changed his life. He no longer acts or feels the same way as he did before he began receiving memories from The Sensei; therefore, his relationships are not the same. He feels a great sense of loss. Refusing to live as a robot again, he knows that he can never go back to living without feelings. He has even stopped taking his pill for the Stirrings. He feels overwhelming sadness for his friends because they do not feel anything at all.

During dinner that evening, Kai finds out that the identical twins will be born the next day and that one of the twins will be Released and will go Elsewhere.

* * *

**APOLOGIES FOR THE SHORT CHAPTER.**

**KAI IS STARTING TO ACT STRANGE. AND HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE.**

**I HAVE A FEELING THAT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, WE WILL FIGURE OUT WHAT RELEASE REALLY IS.**

**HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	10. The Truth About Release

CHAPTER 9

THE TRUTH ABOUT RELEASE

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A LOT OF EMOTIONS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

**NOW ON WITH THE STORY.**

* * *

Kai has heard so much about Releases, but still have no idea what really goes on. All he really knows about Release is for the elderly who are no longer useful to the Community, for infants who are different, and for people who are being punished simply means going Elsewhere. Although that's what Kai thinks.

During his training that very day, Kai decided to speak to the Sensei about Release.

"I will be honest with you, Kai," The Sensei said, "I myself cannot ask to be Released until the next Receiver of Memory, which is you, is fully trained."

"Sensei, my instructions stated that I was not allowed to ask for Release," Kai said.

The Sensei sighed, pouring himself a cup of tea. "That rule about Release was added after the Receiver-in-training's failure ten years earlier."

"Sensei, who was the one chosen to be the Receiver of Memory before me?"

The Sensei took a long sip of his tea and looked Kai straight in the eye. "I believe it is time I tell you about my past student from ten years ago. It is time I told you about... Monica. Monica was selected to be the new Receiver exactly as you were, Kai. I began training her, giving her happy, joyful memories until she demanded that I also give her painful and anguished memories. She felt it was her duty to share the burden of pain. But one day, after receiving a few painful memories, Monica said goodbye to me, left the Annex, and asked to be Released. I never saw her again."

Kai could tell that while The Sensei shared the story about Monica, his tone was filled with sadness, especially the part where Monica made her decision.

The Sensei closes his eyes in sorrow. "When Monica was Released after only five weeks of training, the Community was in turmoil. All of the memories that Monica had received returned to the people in the Community. Because memories are forever and are never lost, the people were forced to experience the anguish and the joy contained in the memories. For the first time in their lives, they experienced real feelings. I was stricken with grief and angry over the loss of Monica and was unable to help the Community through its ordeal."

This gave Kai the greatest idea he's ever came up with on his own. He looked at The Sensei and asked, "What if I fell into the river... and was lost?"

The answer was right under Kai's nose after hearing The Sensei's story about Monica. Every memory that The Sensei has transmitted to Kai would return to the people, and Sameness would no longer be possible. The Community would have to change, and with The Sensei's help, the people would endure the experience and benefit from it.

The Sensei was deep in thought about Kai's suggestion to help the Community experience freedom once again. "You make an excellent point."

"The only reason I was thinking about Release was because my father was scheduled to Release a newborn twin earlier this morning," Kai explained.

The Sensei smiled, setting his teacup down and standing. "Well, you will be pleased to know that you can watch the twin's Release because all private ceremonies in the Community are recorded on video, and being The Receiver, you can ask for anything."

"I was unaware that every activity in the Community is taped." (Videotaping everything that goes on in the Community is yet another way that the Committee of Elders maintains control of the people.)

"I want to warn you, Kai. What you are about to see may change everything you thought of about your father. Are you sure you want to watch this?"

Kai nodded. "Yes, Sensei."

"Very well." Sensei turns the video on.

The Release room inside the Nurturing Center seems as one would describe an ordinary room. The Sensei sits next to Kai, motioning for him to remain quiet while experiencing the Release. Kai has been waiting for so long to finally witness a Release. He thinks that a Release is a celebration, never having a clue that it's anything else.

In the ordinary room, Kai's father talks to the newborn twins, using the special voice that he always uses with newborns. Everything appears to be as it should. He first places each Newchild on a scale. The Newchild that weighed the most would be sent back to the Nurturing Center to be cared for until they become a One. The Newchild that weighed less would be Released.

The firstborn weighed the most while the youngest was left to be prepared for Elsewhere. Kai became excited to see where his father would take the Newchild.

Kai's father set the youngest down and took out a needle. He places the hypodermic shot into the lighter twin's head. Kai figures that this shot is a routine vaccination that all Newchildren get. He expects that his father is going to make the baby as comfortable as possible before sending it to Elsewhere.

But that's when Kai's hope takes a turn for the worse.

He spots a familiar look the Newchild gives after being given the shot. It starts to take effect in a way that Kai thought would never happen. He watches as the younger twin closes their eyes and stops breathing.

As Kai looks at the now-motionless twin, he sees the same blank look on the Newchild's face that he saw on the dead soldier's face in the memory of warfare. Now Kai knows that his father has killed the Newchild.

Release means death.

Once the video ends, The Sensei sighs. "This is the same way Monica ended her life. Instead of someone injecting her, she gave the injection to herself."

"She...she took away her own life?" Kai's voice trembled as he spoke.

"I am afraid so."

Kai began to cry uncontrollably. Unlike the tears of joy he shed on his first day of training, he shed tears of sadness and anger. He couldn't help himself. The anguish that he feels is almost too much for him to bear. He is overwhelmed with betrayal and deceit. "I-I cannot believe that my f-father would do such a thing. N-Not only did he kill an in-innocent Newchild, he also lied a-about it."

The Sensei placed his hands on Kai's shoulders, lowering himself to comfort his student. "It is what he was told to do, and he knows nothing else."

"T-This whole Community is b-based on a lie, Sensei. I-I myself am p-permitted to lie." Kai shuddered with fear and anger.

"Let me explain something," The Sensei said through Kai's sobs, "The Release of a Newchild is a senseless and horrifying death. The Community practices infanticide, the killing of infants. The reason that infants are killed is because they are different in some way. Monica's ending of her own life reveals that the Community also practices a form of euthanasia which means that a person voluntarily asks to die. However, in the Community, Release for the elderly or as punishment for citizens who have broken the rules is a form of forced euthanasia, or murder."

Kai tried calming himself down, but nothing he did worked. Taking slow, deep breaths or thinking positive thoughts couldn't aid him in this situation. He looks up at the Sensei with tears running down his face. "S-Sensei, I finally understand. I-I realize that the Community's ideals are far from being idealistic. After seeking the truth about R-Release, I-I can see that my life... will never..." Kai started crying all over again. I-I will never be the same again!"

The Sensei felt much pity for Kai. He decided to help Kai feel true fatherly love by embracing him. This went on for a few minutes until Kai finally calmed down enough and broke up the hug.

The Sensei helped Kai to his feet. "I believe that is the end of our training for today. It is time for you to head home."

"I refuse to go home, Sensei. I cannot stand to live around such murderous people. Especially my father. Killing people just because it is fun. Who do they think they are? I know. They are better than everybody else because they do not have a care in the world and they go off killing people because they are all high and mighty!"

"Kai, please, you must calm down."

"I am angry and sad and I pretty much hate everyone and everything so do not go telling me to calm down!" Kai shouted so loud he was pretty sure the entire Community heard him. The poor boy began crying once again. "Why, Sensei? Why can the people not see what they are doing? Are they blind or something?"

The Sensei sighs. "Kai, try to understand that the people do not know what they are doing. They are simply following the rules. Because they have no memory of death, loss, pain, and murder, they do not associate a Release with any feelings because they have no feelings. They gave up their feelings when they chose Sameness. This is what can happen when people are blindly obedient to rules. When people give up their freedom to think as individuals, horrible things can and do happen. They become robots without the ability to think for themselves."

"But that does not mean they should go off murdering innocent people."

"My thoughts exactly. I know what needs to be done. Things in the Community must change. Neither of us can tolerate the people's Sameness and blind obedience any longer. We carry the memories, Kai, and the people once had the memories before choosing Sameness. It is time we return the memories to them."

Kai smiled. "What is the plan, Sensei?"

"I shall explain it to you. But first, let us rest our nerves with a nice hot cup of tea."

The two of them became comfortable with steaming cups of tea as The Sensei allowed Kai to settle down for the evening in his bed while he remained in the chair. The two began forming a plan.

"So explain the plan, Sensei," Kai said.

"It is time to save the people in the Community from their own senseless inhumanity," The Sensei said.

"Sensei, I am willing to risk my life for this. If I were to stay in the Community, my life would no longer be worth living."

The Sensei stroke his beard. "I believe you have a plan in mind. Explain it to me, Kai."

"I plan to escape to Elsewhere and thereby force the Community to share the immense, painful burden of the memories that I have received from you. Meanwhile, you will stay in the Community to help the people deal with the memories, for if the people do not have your help, they will probably destroy themselves." Kai sighs.

The Sensei noticed Kai was troubled. "What is the matter?"

"I do not want to leave you. You are my only real friend and I do not want to leave you behind. Even though we do not need to care about the rest of the Community, I know that my statement is not true. We need to care because caring about others is the meaning of everything."

"And when you leave, it will help them. I will teach them how to control the memories." The Sensei took a sip of tea before continuing. "And when do you plan to leave, Kai?"

"I plan to leave the Community just before the upcoming December Ceremony. I just hope I have what it takes."

"No need to worry, Kai. I will transmit memories of strength and courage to you. What will you do afterwards?"

"The night before the Ceremony, I will leave a note, which my parents will find the next morning, stating that I have gone for an early morning bicycle ride. I will leave my bicycle and some clothing by the river and then come straight here to the Annex. In the morning, you will request a vehicle and driver in order to visit another Community. I will hide in the storage compartment of the vehicle. The people in the Community will notice my absence. They will search and assume I have fallen into the river. You will then return just in time to perform the Ceremony of Loss for me. Simple as that." Kai crossed his arms in satisfaction.

The Sensei nodded. "The plan seems perfect."

"It would be." Kai sighs once again. "My parents are no longer my concern, but I think Nya should come with me. I have this weird feeling that she and I are actually... true siblings."

"You have a fair point. Nya will need to know the plan as well."

"I will tell her, but I will ask you only once, Sensei. Will you come with us?"

The Sensei sighs. "Unfortunately, I cannot. I am needed here. I will admit that we do not have much time so it is best if I address this now. I care for you, Kai, as a father cares for his son. It pains me to know that in just two days, we will no longer see each other again."

"But you can come to Elsewhere after you have completed your task of helping the people. Will you, Sensei?"

The Sensei hesitated. He walked over to the bed and embraced Kai as if he were his father. "Sadly, I cannot. I am afraid to say that after I help the people in the Community cope with their newly found memories, I want to be with my daughter, Monica." He looked Kai in the eyes. "She made her choice as the earlier Receiver-in-training who chose death over living a lonely and isolated life filled with painful memories such as I have."

"You mean to say that..." There was no way Kai could finish that sentence.

The Sensei nodded. "Yes, Kai. I plan to end my own life."

Kai quickly embraced The Sensei. Seeing that this may be the last moments they share as friends and as a true family, he wanted to make this memory last forever.

And that's a promise.

* * *

**WOW. EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL. **

**NOW KAI KNOWS THE TRUTH ABOUT RELEASES. POOR GUY. I FEEL SO MUCH PITY FOR HIM. NOW HE PLANS ON LEAVING THE COMMUNITY AND TAKING NYA WITH HIM. HOW WILL THIS WORK OUT?**

**WELL, HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	11. Escaping

CHAPTER 10

ESCAPING

The next evening, Kai returned home to have dinner with his family one last time. He had made his decision to take Nya along with him. If there was anyone he wants by his side, it's her. He would finally have the chance to teach her everything he knew and what better way than over in Elsewhere, which is Ninjago.

He had the plan ready and was preparing to leave early in the morning. Since tomorrow was the December Ceremony, everyone would be too busy to notice they were gone.

Unfortunately, the plans he and The Sensei made would never be put into action. And the entire plan suddenly changed during the evening meal.

His mother stood up to make an announcement. "I have been given news that Lloyd has failed in searching for a profession. None has been chosen for him. I apologize to say that he will be Released the day after the December Ceremony."

Kai knew he had to leave immediately with both Nya and Lloyd. They were planning to kill Lloyd for no reason. He couldn't let that happen. It was time to take matters into his own hands.

Once his parents were asleep, Kai went over to Lloyd's bed and shook him awake. "Lloyd, wake up."

Lloyd opened his eyes and sat up in bed. "What is it?"

Kai sighed. He shouldn't be doing this, but he was doing it, anyway. "Lloyd, there is something I must tell you. It is about your Release."

"You should not concern yourself with it. It is better for me to leave."

"Lloyd, I have found out what Release truly is. They are planning to kill you. That is what Release is. They do not send you somewhere else. They kill you. And in your case, they are doing it for no reason."

"There is no such thing as killing people." Lloyd actually began to feel apprehensive.

"Lloyd, please, you have to believe me." Kai placed his hands on Lloyd's shoulders, sending him the memory about when The Sensei showed him the video of his father Releasing the younger twin. Once the memory faded, he removed his hands from Lloyd's shoulders. "Do you see what I mean?"

"Does this mean that they plan to..." Lloyd was too afraid to say the words.

Kai shook his head and gave his friend a reassuring smile. "Not if I can get you out of the Community. Pack up your things. We are leaving."

"How? The entire Community is always being monitored."

"No need to worry. I will handle it. Just trust me." Kai tore some paper out of his notebook. He began writing on one sheet to explain to his parents that he, Nya and Lloyd were going on an early morning bicycle ride and they would return before the Ceremony. He then looked up at Lloyd. "Go and knock on Nya's door. Tell her to pack her bag and meet us in here."

"She is coming, too?" Lloyd asked.

"That is the plan."

Lloyd left the room to alert Nya of what was going on. Kai decided to write a letter to The Sensei in hope that he will find it and understand why he did what he did. Once he finished writing the letter, he copied it and stuck it into his jacket pocket.

Nya waltzed inside the room, her hair unkempt and a bag in her hand. "Kai, what are you doing?"

"I am getting you and Lloyd out of here," Kai said, "The Community is no longer a safe place to live."

"Why would it not be? Everything is peaceful and nothing can harm us."

"Nya, I have seen things. You do not understand the real world. I want to get you out of here and show you a world that is not filled with Sameness."

"Kai, what has gotten into you?" Nya grasped her brother's hand and began seeing something. She saw an image of a brother and sister playing in the living room. They were playing with what is called toys, where a brave knight is trying to save the princess from the tall tower. She sees how happy they are. She experiences true happiness.

Kai ended the memory by letting go of Nya's hand. He looked into her eyes. "Now do you believe me?"

Nya nodded. "Let us leave, brother."

Kai went downstairs and began taking leftover food from the night's supper trays, which have been placed outside doorway for the Collection Crew to pick up. He also goes over to the food storage bin and puts in the code. Once the correct code was in, he began stuffing as much food as he can in his bag. He could only carry so much.

Nya and Lloyd came down and began placing food in their bags as well. It would be enough to last them for a week or two if possible.

It was almost three in the morning. This was the hour when all the cameras were off and nobody was watching the Community. The cameras would resume work at six. They only had a couple of hours. Leaving the note for his parents on the table, Kai and his entourage of rule-breakers left the house, climbed up on their bicycles and rode away, never looking back.

Kai knew he was doing the wrong thing, but it didn't matter. None of it did. The rules of the Community no longer matter to Kai. He chose to break the rules and save Lloyd's life, as well as Nya's and the lives of the people in the Community. Never can he go back to being a complacent citizen in the repressive Community in which he's grown up.

They stopped by over at the Annex so Kai could slide the letter under the door. Once he did, he stares at the door for a moment. He does not question his actions. His only regret is leaving The Sensei and since the wise man has the Capacity to Hear Beyond, Kai calls out to him. "Farewell, Sensei. Thank you for everything." He can only hope that The Sensei will hear it.

Afterwards, Kai walked over to Nya and Lloyd. He places his hands on each of their shoulders and transmits calm, peaceful memories to them of sunny days on the beach so they would be calm until they were safely out of the Community.

As the three young adults flee the Community, Kai's mood changes from anger and frustration to fear and preparation for a fight for survival. It won't be easy surviving out in the wilderness, but it would be worth it once they finally made it to Ninjago.

They made it to the river. Kai actually wanted to jump in there and hope that he, his sister and friend could flow with the current and make it to Ninjago, but he began having second thoughts.

"I have a plan," Kai said.

"What is it?" Nya asked.

Kai took a deep breath, thinking calmly and rationally about what to do. "Okay, I have established a traveling routine. We travel during the night and then hide and sleep during the day. Throughout the night we will drink water from the streams and eat the food we have packed. We will need to be careful with our food supply. It will have to last us for as long as we are on the run."

"Are you sure about this, Kai?" Lloyd asked.

Kai sighed. "Not really, but if it saves the both of you, then this is something we must do. Just trust me on this. I will help you through it."

So they made the decision to follow the river on their bicycles. They rode on for a few hours and decided to hide out in a cave near the waterfall. They sat inside and ate the food rations and drank water collected from the river.

Afterwards, Kai transmits calming memories to Nya and Lloyd so they can both sleep peacefully. Kai was also aware that search planes will be looking for them and they are equipped with heat-seeking devices. To keep them from being found, he transmits memories of cold snow to his sister and best friend and uses some of the memories for himself so that their body heat will not expose their location to the search planes.

They continued this routine traveling for days, riding farther and farther away from the Community. The memories that Kai has are becoming dimmer, indicating that these memories are returning to the people in the Community. He can only hope that the Sensei is doing all he can to help the citizens. The landscapes begin to change as he, Nya and Lloyd leave their C Community of Sameness far behind. He could only hope that Sameness will be gone for good once all the memories are within everyone. It was better this way.

The little group began to ride during the day because the search for them has subsided. But the journey isn't easy because they are faced with other perils, including forests, streams, and stones that are difficult to ride their bicycles over or through. But they also encounter wonderful things such as birds, various animals, and colorful flowers. Despite the dangers, Kai has never felt such simple moments of exquisite happiness.

That night, Nya cuddled up next to her brother and said, "The Community is more beautiful than I ever imagined it would be. I wish it were like this all the time. Why did we choose Sameness over individuality, Kai?"

Kai shrugged. "I honestly have no idea, Nya. Maybe they were tired of doing everything for themselves and decided to let others do things for them. I will never understand why they made such a horrid decision."

"There is one decision that is not horrid," Lloyd said.

"Which decision is that?" Kai asked.

Lloyd nodded his head at Kai. "Yours. Thanks to you, my life is spared. I do not know what I can ever do to repay you."

"I ask for nothing. I am just glad to have helped."

Although the three of them are able to appreciate the natural surroundings that they have encountered on their journey, Kai is still fearful because he is afraid that they will all starve to death. They only have little food left, which consisted of a few pieces of dried meat, a few pieces of fruit and some carrots. That was all.

A thought crosses Kai's mind that night. If he had remained in the Community, he wouldn't be starving from a lack of food. However, he would be starving from a lack of other things that matter in life, including love and freedom.

Kai reaffirms the decision that he made to flee the Community. It was better to live there than causing himself, his sister and his best friend to starve to death. His only sorrow is that he may not be able to save Lloyd and help Nya understand individuality over Sameness. He loved his sister with all his heart and cared so much for his best friend. He even considered Lloyd the brother he never had. Kai understands that interdependence between people is necessary and good. He isn't thinking of himself, but of Nya and Lloyd. By saving them, Kai will be saving himself.

Kai made the decision to continue forward. A couple of more days past. Their food was growing scarce. They were weakened after not eating as much as they should. They were pretty much considered fugitives on the run. Thus all three ended up in a snowstorm.

It was hard to ride their bicycles through freezing snow and ice. Kai rode so hard that his toppled over on the side of the snowy ground and just laid there.

It was no use. He couldn't go on. He was weak and out of energy. He might as well call it quits. It was easier than pushing himself.

Nya knew riding her bicycle was doing no good. She got up and threw hers over the hill. Lloyd did the same. They walked over to Kai, starving and freezing to death. They wanted to give up, but Kai placed too much courage in them and they wanted to keep going. All Kai needed was some motivation.

"Kai, get up," Nya said, "I know it may seem difficult, but we have to keep going. Ninjago may be closer than we think."

"I... cannot get up," Kai groaned, "I feel... frozen."

"So are we, but do you see us giving up?" Lloyd said, "We have come too far to turn back now. The only way we can make it is if we keep moving forward. We will get there. Have some faith."

Kai recalled a moment when The Sensei said that to him.

_Have some faith._

Faith and love are stronger than everything. Kai should know this, yet he ended up causing negative emotions to be his downfall. He can't let that happen. Just like Lloyd said, the only way they could make it is to keep moving forward.

Kai decided to use a little of his strength to transmit a memory of sunshine and heat to his sister and best friend, the only two people left to care for in this controlled world.

"You both are right," Kai said, "If we keep going, our destination will not be far. I can feel us getting closer. Let us continue forward."

As he did in the dream that he had months earlier, Kai feels that their destination is not far away, and he feels excited because he knows that he, Nya and Lloyd will be welcomed by whomever or whatever awaits them.

The three of them began trudging up a hill. It was difficult going up because the snow was slippery. They had to support each other until, finally, they make it to the top. Despite the situation he was in, Kai began remembering his parents and friends and feels happy in the beautiful winter weather. At the top of the hill, Kai finds something familiar. It wasa sled. One that was big enough to hold three people.

Kai helps Nya and Lloyd onto the sled. He sits up front. "You two ready?"

"I am," Nya said.

"You bet," Lloyd told him.

Kai nodded. "Hold on tight." He tilted the nose of the sled forward and they began to go downhill.

On their ride down, Kai sees colored lights in the distance, hears music in the background, and knows that love and joy are at their destination.

"Kai, do you see those lights?" Lloyd asked.

Kai nodded. "I do."

"What is that noise?" Nya asked.

Kai smiled. "That noise is music. It is music that is calling us home."

And the three of them enter the bright lights...

* * *

**I KNOW IN THE LAST CHAPTER I LEFT YOU GUYS IN SUSPENSE. DON'T WORRY. LLOYD WENT WITH THEM. YOU GUYS KNOW KAI WOULDN'T LET THEM KILL LLOYD. I WON'T LET THEM KILL LLOYD. HE'S WAY TOO AWESOME!**

**SO THESE GUYS HAVE GONE THROUGH A DIFFICULT JOURNEY AND HAVE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE END, BUT WHERE WILL THE BRIGHT LIGHT TAKE THEM?**

**I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT THE NEXT UPDATE FOR THIS STORY WILL BE THE EPILOGUE, BUT I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU ALL IN THE EPILOGUE UPDATE. I SHOULD HAVE IT READY BY EITHER TOMORROW OR THURSDAY. I HOPE. **

**I HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD.**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	12. Where Did We Go?

EPILOGUE

WHERE DID WE GO?

_And so concludes my journey in Utopian Ninjago. _

_I'm sure you all are wondering what happened. What was behind that bright light?_

_Let me just tell you that it was no memory. After every bright light I've seen after memories were transmitted to me, you might expect it to be._

_But it wasn't. Lloyd, Nya and I truly experienced going through that light after riding down the cold, slippery hill on that sled. And I have proof because I heard music. I was never given a memory that contained music. It was never given to me during the first memory I ever received of the sled ride. I wasn't reliving the Christmas memory, either. The experience all three of us saw __seems more real than not._

_And I bet you all are wondering many scenarios right now._

_What happened to me, Lloyd and Nya?_

_Did we die?_

_I have to answer that one. No, we did not die. If we were dead, I wouldn't be here telling you this story._

_Was I dreaming the whole thing?_

_I'm glad I didn't._

_Did we see what was behind the bright colored lights?_

_I have to be honest. We all blacked out when we went through. I was ecstatic to see where I was when I woke up, though._

_Did we return back to the Community?_

_Heck no. After all the trouble they've cost, I never looked back. Sameness is the enemy._

_But here's the most important question of all._

_Have the people in the Community changed because they now have my memories? _

_Let's just say that's an extremely long explanation. One that will take time to explain._

_But you know what? I will explain. I have all the time in the world. I can tell you everything._

_But I'm afraid we have no time. The stars are appearing in the night sky and the hours of sleep has begun._

_I will return another day, though, to tell you a story I know you will sit down and listen carefully to._

_A story about my journey through Elsewhere._

_The journey through Ninjago..._

_**The End**_

* * *

**WELL, THIS CONCLUDES THE ENDING OF THE SENSEI.**

**AND NOW HERE'S MY SURPRISE...**

**A SEQUEL!**

**THAT'S RIGHT. I WILL HAVE A SEQUEL COMING SOON FOR THIS STORY. BUT FOR NOW I HAVE SOME OTHER STORIES THAT ARE IN NEED OF WRITING.**

**I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE STORY OF THE SENSEI.**

**THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR READING AND REVIEWING.**

**NOW TO THANK THE REVIEWERS:**

**Acecove, The Mayor of Ninjago City, Sashie11, I am a Ninjago Fan, Alicia, ninjacat5454, Bookkeeper2004, AND ALL THE GUESTS THAT REVIEWED AS WELL. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

**THANKS FOR READING. DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW.**

**I HOPE TO HAVE A NEW STORY UP BY THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK SINCE THAT'S MY BIRTHDAY. **

**UNTIL THEN, nglic21 OUT!**


End file.
